Friday, August 24, 2012

Breaking Beautiful

Author: Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Goodreads Rating: 3.89 Stars
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 386
Reviewed By: Nicole

I got this book from Netgalley on a whim, and I'm so glad that I did. I had seen friends reviewing it on their own blogs as well as notes on Goodreads. I was also drawn to it because I love me some teen drama and tragedy, and trust me, this book had the best of both worlds.

Goodreads Synopses:

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
 
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

I really liked this book, and one simple reason is because I loved the character development. I say that because in this book there was a very definite change in Allie, our heroine, from the start of the book where she can't even get out of bed through to the end of the book. And it's not even just Allie who changes as she progresses through the senior year from hell.

I said earlier that this book had the best of teen drama and tragedy, and I mean that. We got the best of the drama as Trips ex girlfriend, Hannah, goes all crazy on Allie and the endlessness of the rumor mill turning this accident and the most innocent events into this drawn out insanity. You also get the tragedy because there is so much more to the accident than even the wildest imaginations can draw up (although Wolf's did a great job thinking it up).

I felt sorry for Allie as everyone vilifies her for surviving and not remembering what happened. I couldn't imagine having to face all of these people who adored this boy when you knew the real truth about him. It was heartbreaking to see this relationship had changed her and how it had impacted her relationship with everyone in her family including her twin brother.

I loved that Blake never seemed to give up on Allie despite how much she pushed him away. Its friends that like that people in difficult situations like hers need and it was great that she had him. I would tell you about the ending and why I liked it, but that would give too much away.

All in all, it was a quick read. Even if I wasn't trying to be a super reader, I still think that I would have read it in a day. So if you have a rainy day to kill, this is a great book to snuggle up with a remember how glad you are that you aren't in high school any more.
Nicole

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