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gatoraly's review
4.0
From the beautiful cover to the ending of the book I was captivated. I feel like this book had a hold on me and once I started I didn't stop until I was done. Harlin was so dreamy and a very fun character. I loved the romance between him and charlotte. When I had finished this book I immediately wanted the next one because of the way it ended. I figured out how the next one is going to go and it makes me even more anxious to read it. Suzanne Young did such a great job with this book, she kept it fun and light with enough drama, action, love and sadness to keep me satisfied the whole way through. This is one of my favorite books this year!
hnbb's review
1.0
Nope. Didn't work for me on any level. I wanted it to be good. The concept is intriguing and one I toyed with, too. Why was it so boring? Why didn't it go anywhere? Oh, well. There are many other books on my "to read" list. I am sure I will forget about it soon.
melg14's review
I can't even fairly rate this book because I read like 60 pages of it then went to the end because it was boring me.
And to be honest I was so disappointed, because I like Suzanne Young's writing. I'm not saying it was badly written in fact it was well written, but I just could not get into it. Maybe it was because I wasn't interested into the plot and forced myself to read it so I half-assed it.
I don't know but I won't finish this book =/
And to be honest I was so disappointed, because I like Suzanne Young's writing. I'm not saying it was badly written in fact it was well written, but I just could not get into it. Maybe it was because I wasn't interested into the plot and forced myself to read it so I half-assed it.
I don't know but I won't finish this book =/
nagam's review
4.0
To be completely honest, I'm not even sure where to start with a review of this book. To say that the story is captivating and completely different than anything I've read in young adult literature would be 100% true. To say that I wish the story explained a bit more when Charlotte was questioning what was happening to her as The Need grew stronger is also 100% true.
In many ways, I am just now, as a 25 year-old-adult, figuring out how much I enjoy books that have a supernatural, science-fiction, dystopian....etc. twist. I would not have picked this book up two years ago. At this point, I was completely intrigued by the selflessness this book seemed to possess. There seemed to be a much larger message hidden within this book. I had not seen a book have such a huge impact on readers - to see a new book with an average or 4.45 is unheard of. I typically read books BAD reviews before I fall prey to the good ones. Upon scrolling through tons of reviews on GoodReads, I couldn't find a bad thing to be said of A Need So Beautiful.
The writing is beautiful, if not a bit frustrating at times. Charlotte would ask her confidant and friend, Monroe (the only person who could explain what was happening to her), questions. Sometimes reading through these passages was the hardest thing. As much as Charlotte, the reader wants an explanation - to know what's happening to her and why the Need is growing so rapidly. Or where it came from. What it is.
Some of the questions Charlotte FINALLY gets answers to at the end of the book are questions that I was lead to ask at the beginning of the book. My one complaint is simply that sometimes the writing was intended to be more suspenseful to keep the reader intrigued. I simply wish it flowed a bit more.
As for the idea and the story in it's entirety - beautiful. Simply put, it was a joy to read. A refreshing change from books where the protagonist is selfish, misunderstood, whiney, and holier-than-thou.
Again, I've rated this book four stars (though probably more like 4.5) simply because it's not a book I'd choose to read over and over again. However, once makes quite an impact. :)
In many ways, I am just now, as a 25 year-old-adult, figuring out how much I enjoy books that have a supernatural, science-fiction, dystopian....etc. twist. I would not have picked this book up two years ago. At this point, I was completely intrigued by the selflessness this book seemed to possess. There seemed to be a much larger message hidden within this book. I had not seen a book have such a huge impact on readers - to see a new book with an average or 4.45 is unheard of. I typically read books BAD reviews before I fall prey to the good ones. Upon scrolling through tons of reviews on GoodReads, I couldn't find a bad thing to be said of A Need So Beautiful.
The writing is beautiful, if not a bit frustrating at times. Charlotte would ask her confidant and friend, Monroe (the only person who could explain what was happening to her), questions. Sometimes reading through these passages was the hardest thing. As much as Charlotte, the reader wants an explanation - to know what's happening to her and why the Need is growing so rapidly. Or where it came from. What it is.
Some of the questions Charlotte FINALLY gets answers to at the end of the book are questions that I was lead to ask at the beginning of the book. My one complaint is simply that sometimes the writing was intended to be more suspenseful to keep the reader intrigued. I simply wish it flowed a bit more.
As for the idea and the story in it's entirety - beautiful. Simply put, it was a joy to read. A refreshing change from books where the protagonist is selfish, misunderstood, whiney, and holier-than-thou.
Again, I've rated this book four stars (though probably more like 4.5) simply because it's not a book I'd choose to read over and over again. However, once makes quite an impact. :)
heyjudy's review
4.0
My review is here: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-need-so-beautiful-by-suzanne.html
kristid's review
5.0
EPIC!
I've read a few books by Suzanne before, her 'Naughty List' books are hilarious and fun, so I had big expectations for A Need So Beautiful. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was a little blown away. Especially when I was able to interview Suzanne and learn a little bit more about the story. I was expecting Suzanne's whit and humor, and I got that. But I also got this emotionally charged, and stunning story.
I almost wish they would have written the summary different, perhaps mentioning the 'need' but leaving parts of what will happen with that responsibility out. Although I 'knew' things were going to happen from the summary, I think that it would have been more powerful discovering that with Charlotte, although it didn't make it any less heartbreaking as a reader. I will admit... there was some crying when reading this book.
I loved Charlotte's relationships... with her best friend and her boyfriend, they were so very well written... as was the entire book! Everything was just, EPIC! Seriously you should read this one. It really is beautiful... you need it! HA! No really it is, no pun intended. DYING for book two: A Want So Wicked!
I've read a few books by Suzanne before, her 'Naughty List' books are hilarious and fun, so I had big expectations for A Need So Beautiful. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was a little blown away. Especially when I was able to interview Suzanne and learn a little bit more about the story. I was expecting Suzanne's whit and humor, and I got that. But I also got this emotionally charged, and stunning story.
I almost wish they would have written the summary different, perhaps mentioning the 'need' but leaving parts of what will happen with that responsibility out. Although I 'knew' things were going to happen from the summary, I think that it would have been more powerful discovering that with Charlotte, although it didn't make it any less heartbreaking as a reader. I will admit... there was some crying when reading this book.
I loved Charlotte's relationships... with her best friend and her boyfriend, they were so very well written... as was the entire book! Everything was just, EPIC! Seriously you should read this one. It really is beautiful... you need it! HA! No really it is, no pun intended. DYING for book two: A Want So Wicked!
lunaseassecondaccount's review
3.0
This book is fairly standard YA fare. Beautiful young protagonist with her beautiful best friend and beautiful boyfriend have magical goings-on that tempt fate and what have you. There's very little character development that's going on here, as Charlotte wants to help people from the start, Sarah is fairly rude from the start and Harlin is... well, Harlin, from the start.
In saying all this, it's probably one of the better YA novels I've read. It's not challenging in the least, but there's no dubious consent at all throughout the novel. It's light and refreshing in that regard, and the motivations all lie on Charlotte. It's pretty clear what side she's going to choose early on- even the 'temptations' she's given seem pretty weak- and she never wanders from that path.
It's a bit fluffy all in all, but it's a nice change of pace.
In saying all this, it's probably one of the better YA novels I've read. It's not challenging in the least, but there's no dubious consent at all throughout the novel. It's light and refreshing in that regard, and the motivations all lie on Charlotte. It's pretty clear what side she's going to choose early on- even the 'temptations' she's given seem pretty weak- and she never wanders from that path.
It's a bit fluffy all in all, but it's a nice change of pace.
kaitrosereads's review
5.0
Last year I was greatly impressed by Suzanne Young's debut novel, The Naughty List. It was a fun, light-hearted story. A Need So Beautiful is the complete opposite of The Naughty List but that is, by no means, a bad thing. Reading this has made me even more in awe of Suzanne Young's talent and I can't wait for more.
Charlotte Cassidy has always felt the Needs but they are even stronger and more frequent now. She knows she can't resist them even though she doesn't know what they are. When she finally does find out what they mean she wishes she was still clueless. Charlotte is one of the Forgotten, someone who will help people but will also fade away with each person she helps. What does this mean for Charlotte's life and love? And is there a way to stop it?
A Need So Beautiful is a haunting book. That's the best word I can think of to describe it. I can't stop thinking about it. It's unlike anything I have ever read and I really wonder where Suzanne Young gets her ideas. This is one book I can safely say is impossible to predict because nothing even remotely close to it has been done before. The sequel, A Want So Wicked, is at the top of my wishlist for this reason.
Charlotte was an easy character to relate to and sympathize with. I felt horrible for her because of what she was going through but at the same time, her fear is easy to understand. Everyone wants to be remembered especially by their loved ones. And Harlin! OMG even his name is sexy. He is the sweetest, sexiest, misunderstood bad boy I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. I want one!
Overall, A Need So Beautiful is a very different venture from Suzanne Young but one I can't help but recommend. Read it now!
Charlotte Cassidy has always felt the Needs but they are even stronger and more frequent now. She knows she can't resist them even though she doesn't know what they are. When she finally does find out what they mean she wishes she was still clueless. Charlotte is one of the Forgotten, someone who will help people but will also fade away with each person she helps. What does this mean for Charlotte's life and love? And is there a way to stop it?
A Need So Beautiful is a haunting book. That's the best word I can think of to describe it. I can't stop thinking about it. It's unlike anything I have ever read and I really wonder where Suzanne Young gets her ideas. This is one book I can safely say is impossible to predict because nothing even remotely close to it has been done before. The sequel, A Want So Wicked, is at the top of my wishlist for this reason.
Charlotte was an easy character to relate to and sympathize with. I felt horrible for her because of what she was going through but at the same time, her fear is easy to understand. Everyone wants to be remembered especially by their loved ones. And Harlin! OMG even his name is sexy. He is the sweetest, sexiest, misunderstood bad boy I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. I want one!
Overall, A Need So Beautiful is a very different venture from Suzanne Young but one I can't help but recommend. Read it now!
joyousreads132's review
4.0
This book frustrated me. I loved the characters and the plot but I just...maybe it's because of the ending and the fact that I'd have to wait a long ass time for the next book but there's just a certain something that missed the spot and it's maddening. It's like a scent. I'm familiar with it but I just can't name it. Gah.
It's a story about a girl who gets these irresistible urges to be somewhere and meet someone. She can't explain it, can't fight it. It's severe pain that overtakes her until she gets to where she needed to be and has done what she was supposed to do. She doesn't do anything lascivious or anything. She helps people. She's called a Forgotten. One whose life is shortened every time she helps someone. I guess she could be considered as an angel but she's not that iconic, because as soon as she's done her job, the people she helped has already forgotten her in a span of seconds. Her family, her friends--they all slowly forgot about her--like a fading text on a sun-drenched book.
I'm going to call it original because I honestly haven't read anything like this before. I've read about angels but not like this.
The romance in this book is hotter than anything I've ever read in this genre. There's just something about the way the author wrote the scenes in a non-descriptive manner that made it unintentionally explicit. I can't explain it. Maybe it was because of Harlin; humble, kind, bad-ass on a bike, beautiful man who'd do anything for Charlotte. I melted every time this boy would look at her and swooned whenever he got frustratingly mad at Charlotte.
Charlotte was such a strong character but because her circumstances and the forces that were pulling her in two different directions frustrated me, I had a hard time liking her. The lies and the hiding and the secrets, I found myself screaming and yanking my hair because I swear I was seeing how the next scene would play out. *snorts* Maybe not.
The author took her sweet time and kept me hooked until the last two pages of the book to realize what Charlotte was meant to do. Okay, maybe I'm lying--or naive--or just plain stupid not to know that it was going to go down the way it did. But still.
I just needed more. Maybe a hundred more pages? I think I'll end this review right here because I've used up FRUSTRATING way too many times already. I'm still giving it a FOUR because, hell, it was truly unique and I'm probably the only one who was FRUSTRATED with this book (whoops, there goes another one).
It's a story about a girl who gets these irresistible urges to be somewhere and meet someone. She can't explain it, can't fight it. It's severe pain that overtakes her until she gets to where she needed to be and has done what she was supposed to do. She doesn't do anything lascivious or anything. She helps people. She's called a Forgotten. One whose life is shortened every time she helps someone. I guess she could be considered as an angel but she's not that iconic, because as soon as she's done her job, the people she helped has already forgotten her in a span of seconds. Her family, her friends--they all slowly forgot about her--like a fading text on a sun-drenched book.
I'm going to call it original because I honestly haven't read anything like this before. I've read about angels but not like this.
The romance in this book is hotter than anything I've ever read in this genre. There's just something about the way the author wrote the scenes in a non-descriptive manner that made it unintentionally explicit. I can't explain it. Maybe it was because of Harlin; humble, kind, bad-ass on a bike, beautiful man who'd do anything for Charlotte. I melted every time this boy would look at her and swooned whenever he got frustratingly mad at Charlotte.
Charlotte was such a strong character but because her circumstances and the forces that were pulling her in two different directions frustrated me, I had a hard time liking her. The lies and the hiding and the secrets, I found myself screaming and yanking my hair because I swear I was seeing how the next scene would play out. *snorts* Maybe not.
The author took her sweet time and kept me hooked until the last two pages of the book to realize what Charlotte was meant to do. Okay, maybe I'm lying--or naive--or just plain stupid not to know that it was going to go down the way it did. But still.
I just needed more. Maybe a hundred more pages? I think I'll end this review right here because I've used up FRUSTRATING way too many times already. I'm still giving it a FOUR because, hell, it was truly unique and I'm probably the only one who was FRUSTRATED with this book (whoops, there goes another one).