La belleza del mundo

by Cory Anderson, Marcelo Andrés Manuel Bellon (Translator)

Es invierno. El cielo está oscuro. Hace un frío capaz de quebrar los huesos. Jack y su hermano menor, Matty, viven en la extrema pobreza. No tienen nada, excepto el uno al otro. Y ahora Jack se enfrenta a una cruda elección: permitir que se lleven a su hermano a un centro de acogida de menores o encontrar el dinero por el que su padre fue encerrado en prisión. Jack elige el dinero. Ava vive una vida de silencio y aislamiento. Durante diecisiete años, su padre, un hombre despiadado, ha controlado su destino y le ha enseñado a no amar a nadie. Ahora él se encuentra tras el rastro del mismo dinero que Jack. Cuando los destinos de Jack y Ava se cruzan, ella habrá de tomar su propia decisión: permanecer en silencio o ayudar a que los hermanos sobrevivan. Elecciones. Siempre tienen sus consecuencias.

Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Fantasy

378 pages, Tapa blanda con solapas

First published April 6, 2021

About the author

Cory Anderson, a native of Idaho, is a storyteller who writes about her home in the Rocky Mountains. She is a finalist for the 2021 William C. Morris Award and winner of the Prix Libr'à Nous. What Beauty There Is is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 little brother alone, lying to him their mother went to a trip. Their father is in the prison from theft and his partner Bardem is still looking for where he hid the money bag.

Jack’s path crosses with Ava: other MC of the story. Her mother was forced to leave the house when she was a little girl, witnessing her father Bardem wash the blood from his hands in the sink, telling her scary real crime stories and terrifying life anecdotes about not trusting or loving someone.

She knows her father wants the money and she realizes Jack and his brother escape from their house. In fact it’s not their house anymore: because it’s auctioned and they were forced to leave the place in two days. After being attacked by his own father at his visit in prison, he put himself on the radar of Bardem. He also gets attention of officer Doyle who get suspicious because of absence of their drug addict mother ( she’s buried beneath the ground) , he informs them to call child services.

Jack cannot lose his brother: they need a safe place to stay! But when all of the accomplices of his father coming for the lost money, it’s hard for them to survive.

Matty connects with Ava and brings her into their life. As soon as Ava drags into their mess: she realizes she needs to make a choice: finding the money for her father or helping the brothers. As she starts having feelings for Jack, she cannot make an objective decision.

This book is remarkable mash up of Winter’s Bone, Road Winter with Liam Neeson’s Cold Pursuit movie vibes. Both Jack, Ava and little Matty were well crafted, deeply layered, resonating characters. Especially final third part of the book was action packed, stunningly heart pounding, nail biter, gut wrenching!

I think there will be sequel of the series and I cannot wait to read more about the characters.

Even though the book is so dark, pessimist, so intense, I got truly intended by deeply emotional narrations of the characters. Especially those words of Ava:
“ What you put in your heart will make you heart. But it will be the most spectacular kind of hurt. It will light you up and burn you. It will knock you down. It will break you apart. And it will make you different.”

It is impossible not to root for the amazing, sad, dedicated love story of Jack&Ava and wish to see they get through all those struggles, reach to their own happy ending.

Those delicate, sensitive, tough kids broke me so hard! That’s why even their story made me so sad and hurt me so hard, I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5 amazingly poignant, tear jerker, heart pounding, snow storm stars!

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/ Roaring Brook Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cory Anderson writes a beautifully lyrical and unforgettable novel set in a remote small town in the bone-chilling freezing and bleak wintry landscape of the Rockies. 17 year old Jack Dahl is bearing burdens no teenager should have to carry, his mother has been floating away from him and his younger brother, Matty, for some time with her opiate addiction, and has taken the final step to leave her family and life, by choosing to hang herself. His father, Leland, is incarcerated in prison for the robbery of a pawn shop, in reality the financial proceeds of the drug trade. Jack is left with no good choices when it comes to survival, he has barely any food or money, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the adorable and vulnerable Matty, under threat of being taken away by social services. He buries his mother in the hard frozen ground, leaving him with sore, bloody and blistered hands.

Ava Bardem is the daughter of a father, Victor, a cruel, merciless and sadistic killer, whose love has wrapped Ava tightly into a cage where no-one is allowed to get close to her. When Jack helps her, the new girl, out of a distressing scenario at school, she tells him to stay away from her, harbouring secrets of a past that connects them. Left with no other options, Jack decides to seek the elusive briefcase of money hidden by his father so that he can financially provide food and a home for Matty, but can he trust anyone? This makes him the target, stalked by of a number of bad guys, including Victor, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on the loot, as the murder of a correctional officer is followed by a rising tide of dead bodies. Sheriff Doyle aware the boys are in desperate danger races against time to find them. As Jack's life hangs by a thread, the only person there for him and Matty is a Ava willing to burn the house down to keep them safe.

Anderson's writing is poetic, an artful if heartbreaking emotional rollercoaster of darkness, pain, despair and tragedies, young lives for whom hope is in short supply, where the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley, is railed against, how is it possible for either Jack and Ava to be masters of their own fates and the captains of their souls? This was a superb and atmospheric read, so memorable, of uncommon intensity and vibrancy, although I found it difficult to continue at times, the never ending threats to life that hit Jack, Ava and Matty, but there are the rare shards of light, love and hope to delight in. This may well not be a book for everyone, but I loved it. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Penguin Random House for an ARC.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

2021 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.❤️. F.A.B.

Okay, this was a pretty good YA thriller. 🤗 There was some angsty love, crimes, hidden treasure. I was on the edge of my seat, that whole last half. 😱 It was pretty fast paced. Overall, a great read. 👍 I just felt like it ended a bit too soon and left too many things unanswered. 🥸

[give me books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Klimatyczna, mroczna, smutna i trochę brutalna historia, której zakończenie wgniotło mnie w krzesło

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This is one small story in an infinite number. But it is mine."

Jack and Matty have only themselves. They have lost everything. Left with only two options, Jack must decide: lose his younger brother Matty to foster care or find the drug money his father hid and went to prison for. Jack chooses the money. Will it be the right choice? How will Jack hold things together for both.

Ava Bardem goes to school with Jack yet lives in isolation. She is her father's "Little Bird" and for seventeen years her father has ruled her life. He has taught her not to love or trust. Now, Victor Bardem, her father, is hot on the trail of the money that Jack is looking for. What should Ava do? Should she remain silent or help Jack and Matty.

Both Ava and Jack make choices in this book. Will they make the right ones?

This is a beautifully written book. I just loved the italicized sections. It is also a dark book with heavy themes. An older sibling trying to keep a younger one out of foster care is a theme we have seen before and sadly exists outside of out book pages. This one couples that with tension and a sense of dread. I felt for the brothers and their plight. The odds are stacked against them. With so much to lose, how will they come out on top? What Beauty There Is is the first book in a series and I am curious to see what will happen next. Although this book is dark, it also has lightness in the form of love between the brothers, Jack's sense of duty, the relationship between Jack and Ava.

My three-star rating means that I found this book to be good. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Joan He · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 and kept me racing through the pages were her characters. Ava, Jack, Matty, and holy smokes BARDEM. They're all written in such a way that I had a hard time believing that they didn't actually exist. The dialogue is fitting of a screenplay. The details down to every thread and wisp of smoke and leap of pulse were enthralling. And don't get me started on that ending. Highly, highly recommend; you'll come away from this book seeing the world in a different way.

[podczytany · Rating 4 out of 5]

To była bardzo intensywna historia. Niesamowicie klimatyczna, zimna, brutalna i smutna. Jednakże można w niej odnaleźć pewne aspekty ciepła. Relacja braterska wygrywa tutaj wszystko. Nasz główny bohater jest w stanie zrobić wszystko, byleby tylko jego młodszemu bratu żyło się lepiej.

Najmocniejszym punktem tej historii zdecydowanie jest jej początek! Trust me będziecie w szoku🥹

Ocena: 4,0.

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh the feels. Death, suicide, child abuse, hunger, so much hardship and yet it was beautiful. Jack a teen, is stronger than most adults, when his mother commits suicide he is alone, his father in prison. He struggles to keep his brother with him, hiding their mothers death from authorities. Desperation drives him to his father who stole money and stashed it somewhere near just to feed his brother. His father is not a nice man, and Jack doesn’t get the help he wants. What he gets is even more hardships.
These kids are put through some seriously hard times. This book is very visually written, I could see and feel it all. I cringed, cried, and cheered, such a great read.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers for an honest review.

[Cassandra Hartt · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[recontraluchita · Rating 2 out of 5]

me gustó pero sentí que todo paso demasiado rápido y el final me hubiera gustado que fuera de otra manera

[Abby Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Concept 7/10, execution 2/10.

Seeing how well-loved this book is I will be blunt now just so any major fans of this book know what to expect from this review: I really, really did not like this book and I will not be saying many nice things about it.

This book starts off strong and pulls no punches. Plot wise, I had no complaints for the first 100 or so pages and even after that my complaints with the plot are a little hard to pin down. Mostly because the writing style was sucking the joy out of every positive element this book had to offer. Writing style is so, so subjective and I'm sure there will be lots (and there have been lots!) of people that will love the way Anderson writes but within the first few pages I was already struggling to look past my irritation with it to focus on the story and the characters. It just feels so soulless and repetitive and unrelenting. And I'm not someone that reads solely for the writing-- I usually only notice if the writing is exceptionally good or exceptionally bad-- but this was just painfully inartistic. Using short sentences to build tension is the oldest trick in the book, but if every single sentence is short, we're not going anywhere! We're just repeating the same sentence structure and length over and over and over and over and over until I'm actively trying to skim to give this book a better chance. The closer I read, the more I wanted to give up, so I just tried to grab the facts and flip the pages.

But again. Writing style is subjective and my level of hatred for this book's writing style is not necessarily a measure of quality. There are a lot of merits to Anderson's style so I won't try and call it "bad" despite *deeply* disliking it, but when it comes to character development there are enough misfires for me to count it as a straight-up miss. Jack and Ava (and Matty but I've all but given up on kids being well-written because I know they're a little impossible to write) are so unbelievable. Did I expect them to act like normal teenagers? No. Things have gone south for them in a big way and I'm not too terribly attached to realism in this setting. But the dialogue is so robotic and repetitive and completely independent of the setting or the current stakes. If you're struggling to get through the book you could try taking a shot every time a character says "Okay." and nothing else. You will in fact die though so do keep that in mind. There's just no depth or rhythm to any of their conversations. We're just trading words (and the same ones too! The English language has so much more to offer) back and forth endlessly and we get no insight to their actual feelings as they're allegedly building a relationship.

It doesn't help that these bland conversations are happening in between the most melodramatic bookends you'll ever read. Jack is constantly thinking to himself in a way that no one ever thinks to themselves and Ava has to give her best try at being philosophical at the beginning of every chapter or else we will not realize that there's something ~between~ our two protagonists. This book commits one of the cardinal sins of YA romance: telling you, the reader, that feelings are there without showing those feelings once. The amount of times Ava talks about her "sweet, quiet Jack" is pretty mind-numbing when you think about the fact that they do not know each other and Jack hasn't really been sweet or quiet around her?? I mean he's been injured around her. And I suppose he had the bare minimum respect to not touch her without her consent. And yes, desperation causing people to latch onto each other is a thing, but I don't really feel the desperation because I'm trying so hard to ignore how much I can't stand the writing style.

The conclusion I came to with this rating was a 1 star rating would make sense if I could explain why the book is objectively bad while also not enjoying the book in a subjective sense. This book, while not great, isn't objectively terrible, but I did not enjoy it in the slightest and because of that, I can't give anything higher than a 2-star. It's all very personal and I wish this writer the best and am happy to see that so many people loved this book but the reading experience was one of the worst of the year for me so respectfully, I wouldn't recommend this to a soul. Maybe to the shell of a person because then there'd be no soul for the writing to suck out, but I don't think Mitch McConnell reads YA.

[Jazmin Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Algunas veces, ignoras algo que te duele, te mientes y dices que no está ahí, aunque todo el tiempo sepas que ahí está. Es como un trozo de metal que te tragaste. Te molesta, pero ya te has acostumbrado. Esta cosa está dentro de ti. Te la has estado tragando durante años."

TW: muerte (explícita), suicidio, abuso infantil

La belleza del mundo es una historia inesperada sobre las decisiones que tomas en tu vida. En casi 400 páginas, la autora logra mostrarte la vida de Jack, de Matty y de Ava, en el transcurso de solo 9 días, y cómo todo puede salir mal o peor a consecuencia de una sola decisión.

Al introducirte en este libro, lo primero que vas a encontrar son estos pequeños inicios de capítulo, que van contando su propia historia en primera persona. En general, la historia en sus diferentes puntos de vista está escrita de una manera preciosa, con un estilo de narración que se siente muy especial y que hace que cada una de las emociones se refleje en las páginas de este libro. Sin embargo, quiero enfocarme en esos inicios de capítulo, esas historias en cursiva cuya narradora vas conociendo poco a poco. Estos momentos han sido poesía en todo su esplendor, con un sentimiento mucho más crudo y real de lo que iba pasando en la historia. Siento que al terminar cada capítulo, esos momentos eran un golpe que todo doliera un poco más, pero tenía unas frases y momentos tan buenos que definitivamente hacían que mi lectura se vuelva más interesante. En sí, la escritura es bastante ligera, los capítulos cortos hacen que este libro se lea aún más rápido y que, en menos de lo que esperas, ya lo estés terminando.

En cuanto a la trama en sí, creo que el foco principal es el camino al que te llevan tus decisiones. La vida de Jack es muy dura, y los tres niños protagonistas -porque son niños- tienen que enfrentarse a las consecuencias de sus malas decisiones, pero sobre todo, a las consecuencias de los errores de sus padres y el impacto negativo que estaba generando en sus vidas y en su futuro. Jack solo intenta encontrar una solución, y nunca pierde de foco lo más importante para él: la vida de su hermano. Aún así, esa pequeña conexión que aparece entre Ava y Jack durante los momentos de desesperación se me hizo super tierna, y dolorosa. Mientras más me acercaba al final, menos quería que se termine la historia, porque siempre tuve la sensación en el estómago de que nada podía salir bien. Habían muchos momentos que me hicieron sentir rabia y ganas de pegarle a alguien, así como momentos donde mi corazón se me hizo super chiquito porque quería abrazar muy fuerte a Matty y a Jack.

El final ha sido justo, y a la vez se me hizo muy injusto todo. No sé cómo explicarlo, solo que ha sido un final preciso para la historia. Y me ha dejado pensando muchísimo, principalmente en el poco reconocimiento que tiene esta historia cuando siento que mucha más gente debería estar hablando de ella. Es una historia ligera y compleja a la vez, me ha encantado mucho y espero que le den una oportunidad.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this was not exactly the adventure story I was expecting (don’t worry, the adventurous hunt for the lost treasure is there) it was so much more beautiful and stuck with me in all the best ways. Jack has pretty much always seen the bad side of luck and the book doesn’t start any differently when he comes home from school to find his mother has hung herself in her bedroom. How father is in prison for a robbery where the stolen money was never recovered. Jack’s next choices are completely focused on his little brother Matty and how best to protect him. In an attempt to keep from losing his brother to foster care he decides he has to find the money as they have left than 20 dollars and they’re losing the house. This noble decision sets Jack off on a terrifying journey as he’s not the only one still thinking about that briefcase of money. Jack trusts no one but when Ava shows up he’ll find himself learning to grudgingly accept help. This book was so well written it read with a poetry that painted the picture with every word. I loved the relationship between Jack and Matty and honestly just their characters. They were delightful, brave, and caring. I’m not going to lie, this book did lead me to tears but it was because the characters were so well written that as they hit bumps and struggles I felt for them. I very much hope that Cory Anderson continues to write as this was exquisite!

[(Ellie) ReadtoRamble · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 STARS

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the blog tour organiser, the publisher and the author for letting me take part and for providing me with a free copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

The first thing I have to say about this book is there are a lot of trigger warnings for this book and a lot of scenes get really vivid and graphic. If you want to find out what all the currently updated TWs are for this book, you can find the full list here.

I spent the weekend reading this book, and unfortunately, I just don't think it was the book for me, and I don't think I was the intended audience. There were times where the writing style got good and I actually thought things were getting better, but then it just didn't grab me again. There are some beautiful sentences in this book, but I felt that the writing style and narrative voice were both very jarring and I really struggled with both.

I didn't understand what was happening most of the time and the way it finished left me with a lot of questions and uncertainties. I couldn't identify to the characters and I just really could not get into this book, unfortunately, but that's not to say that you won't, as I know a lot of other readers have been enjoying it.

Make sure to check the trigger warnings out before you pick up this book, as they start on early in the book and just keep coming.

[Miniikaty · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5

Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...

No sé qué esperaba de esta novela, pero desde luego no lo que he encontrado entre sus páginas. Es una novela juvenil que no sé muy bien como definir, es cruda y dura, con una trama un tanto extraña por la manera en la que se narra y que busca remover algo en el lector, en mi caso no lo ha conseguido, no he logrado conectar ni con la historia ni con los personajes y eso que a mí un buen drama me apasiona.

Es muy fácil de leer gracias a la tipografía y a los capítulos cortos, la narración es algo más densa por la forma poética que tiene la autora de contar las cosas, cuenta con bastantes descripciones de paisajes y se recrea en los sentimientos que sobrellevan los personajes, con todo ya digo que es muy sencillo pasar páginas casi sin darte cuenta. Es una de las pocas cosas positivas que ha tenido el libro para mí, que no se me ha hecho excesivamente tedioso ni largo.

Una novela juvenil peculiar y dura

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incroyablement addictif, avec une ambiance sombre et prenante qui m’a empêchée de lâcher le bouquin. Entre le style d’écriture et les personnages, impossible de dire ce que j’ai préféré, bref une très belle histoire !

[TW : suicide, violence, descriptions détaillées de blessures, relation toxique (sort of)]

[Provin Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Beauty There Is will make you cry. It will make you sad and lonely. It will make you Love!

This book will bring out all of your feelings as you go on this emotional coming of age roller coaster. You will be broken by Jack and his little brother Matty when their mom kills herself and they are left alone in the world because their dad is in prison. Your soul will be crushed when you meet Ava and witness all the love and care she offers. You will hate her father. And the way he uses people as stepping stones with no refused for their lives. You will cheer for Doyle the town sheriff as he races to help these kids from a horrible fate. You will cry at the tender ending. And the whole story will fly by as you flip the books beautiful pages.

I was drawn to the book based on its gorgeous cover art. When I read the plot my soul jumped from my chest and my brain told me I had to read it. And both were equally correct. With themes similar to Romeo and Juliet if they were thrown into hate a greed, this emotional story will have you cheering, sneering, silent and emotional drained by the time you reach the ending. This is by far the best book I have read this year and I look forward to more books by Cory Anderson.

[BookNightOwl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!!! I read What Beauty There is By Corey Anderson and did this keep me at the edge of my seat. My heart ache for these boys who's father is in Jail and mother who is addicted to drugs and depressed. All they have is each other and Jack will do anything in his power to make it stay that way.

This was definitely a hard read and you need to be in the right mind set to read this book. Trigger warnings are drugs, suicide, death, stalking, mental abuse. I gave this book an A-

[Libby Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is heartbreaking, and intense, and utterly painful. There's so much ugliness and ache in it, and yet... what beauty there is. What beauty there is in this world.

This book is a masterpiece... but what a broken masterpiece it is. It reminded me strongly of Kristen Hannah's The Great Alone, heavy with themes of survival and raw humanity at its worst... yet without the hope that finds its way into the Hannah's book. There's a sliver of it, but it's overshadowed by the thought that repeatedly makes its appearance throughout the text... the unresolved dilemma of the meaninglessness of life with what beauty there is.

I'm glad I read it. Would I read it again? I'm not sure.

[Shh... One More Chapter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book based on the premice and other glowing reviews, but there was nothing about it that really grabbed me. The 1st person start to every chapter that leads into 3rd person was jarring and off-putting. The need to say "let's start at the beginning" which is just so cliche and sets the whole tone of the book (just start at the beginning) and the lack of real character development were the downfalls of the book for me.

Would I have liked this if all the unnecessary 1st person bits were taken out and the book simply started with the suicide? Maybe but I guess we will never know now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this book.

[jinn ッ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up
Why was. This book. Written like. This.
The amount of sentences of two to three words made this such a clunky read, the animal references made zero sense to me, and lastly, the dialogue was dryer than the Sahara desert. I wanted to like the more than I did. The romance was so.. ?!! Forced. I was interested in the plot though so I’ll give it some stars for that, I think it did have some good aspects (Matty). The cover is also very beautiful, but it wasn’t my favorite.

[Esme · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

so well written

[Lauren (thebookscript) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What you put in your heart will make you heart. But it will be the most spectacular kind of hurt. It will light you up and burn you. It will knock you down. It will break you apart. And it will make you different.”

I love taking a chance on underrated stories and this book will indeed make you hurt. It’s intense and the writing is unique...haunting and beautiful at the same time.

It has the vibes that I felt from listening to “We Begin At the End” but I enjoyed this book so much more. It’s a thriller in ways, but also is character AND plot driven at the same time.

It’s sad, flooded with grief and belonging and yet it has enough light within it to redeem itself. I wanted to hug Jack and Matty and help them along the way.

The darkness is in death, violence, murder and crime. But the light is in brotherhood, friendship, sacrifice and love and the even in the fight for survival.

This is not a happy story but I wouldn’t tell anyone who was interested to not read it. I’m sure glad I did...and I really hope it finds the right audience. I will be thinking about this book for days to come.

Audio was two thumbs way up. Double narration. Thank you to Macmillan audio for the copy.

*lots of triggers: death, suicide, murder, gun violence, drugs, parental abuse etc.

[Carolann · Rating 1 out of 5]

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 to try to find the money that his father stole that landed him in jail. Jack's dad's partner is not in jail but is on his tail, also wanting the money and not stopping at anything to get it. 

But a lot of the book felt gratuitous. It felt unrealistic in many ways. It was ... boring.The ominous first person reflections in the beginnings of the chapter didn't work for me. More character development was needed. And the ending felt rushed and unresolved. 

This book has been compared to The Road, which I absolutely hated, so I guess it's no surprise I didn't like this one. 

TW: suicide, violence

[Gail Danks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, very well written. I so wanted a happy ending but I’m glad in a way that it wasn’t the perfect happy ending for them all. I really hope there’s a sequel and bardem gets what he deserves

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

How I read this: free review copy for blog tour (via NetGalley)

What Beauty There Is was a tough read, and it’s certainly not for the faint-hearted. It was a good thriller, but for a sensitive reader like me, there was too much gore and it was simply depressing, which took away greatly from my enjoyment of reading it. However, we can’t ignore that kids and teens in dangerous and precarious situations do exist, and these books are written so we would know more about these issues in society, and for that reason, they are important. Plus, the book did have really interesting and well-written characters. So if you like thrillers and have a tough skin for violence in books, you will probably enjoy this!

Here is my full review if you want to know more:
https://avalinahsbooks.space/what-bea...



I thank the publisher and The Write Reads tours for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

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[Lydia Andres · Rating 2 out of 5]

The format of this book was so confusing; I was never really sure what character I was reading or if we were in the present time or reading a past perspective. I also don't get why the chapters went from up then back down. The characters were pretty one-sided, and honestly, they made me mad. Jack was just obsessed with staying away from the cops, even though they would be the ones who could really help him, and he did nothing wrong. This book reminded me of The Road; there was no reason for them to have this crazy survival story. This whole story could have been avoided if Jack had just called the police after their mother died. There were so many bad decisions made that didn't need to be made.
The love story plot was really cheesy and didn't work for me. I would have preferred them to just be friends.
Matty acted WAY younger than his age, and honestly, he felt like he was a pet dog or a prop just being drug around.

TW: suicide, drug abuse, drug ring, murder, child neglect.

[kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 34%

This could’ve been a good book but I’ll never know because I won’t be forcing myself to finish it. And damn that plot looks good but I was a third in and waiting for it to happen. It was slow. As much as I like context and buildup, I wanted stuff to happen. I think that’s why it took me longer than usual to read DNF. The writing itself is beautiful and chilling, especially the italics at the start of each chapter. (I’ve seen mixed reviews for those. I think they were well-written but some didn’t seem to have use). There were a lot of beautiful quotes like:

“All things you choose to hold in your heart have the capacity for pain. Be careful what you choose.”

“You live with your soul and you die with your soul. And my soul is dead. I’m already dead.”

Also the way the chapters were numbered where they counted up and then down again seemed really cool and unique. Too bad I won’t see it’s purpose. This book just wasn’t it for me.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...

This atmospheric novel certainly gets you with the snowy setting. You know how dull and muted the sound becomes when there is snow? Well, I think that Anderson totally conveys this in their narrative. However, sadly I think this is also a reflection of the plot development.