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A review by geniesurreal
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Did not finish book.
I apologize for my review in advanced for it will not be kind.
I couldn't read past chapter one. I had to force myself to read chapter one. It took me an entire evening of reading a few paragraphs, closing the book in disgust, and reluctantly opening it again to give it "one more chance" to read chapter one.
The characters' stereotypical "good shy can-stand-on-her-own girl meets bad-in-every-way yet misunderstood boy" tropes aside, the writing style is horrendous. I've read fanfiction that had more emotionally charged writing than this. Considering this is a romance novel through the female's perspective I thought we'd get a nice tour of her feelings, her fears, her caution, her reasonings. Unfortunately every sentence had the same texture as a saltine cracker; dry and flavorless. I am not a fan of books telling me than showing me. I don't mind reading a paragraph filled with fluff as long as I get a better understanding of the character and the current situation. There was no real movement in the story. It felt like someone re-telling their love story around a campfire and skirting around the details to shorten it up.
Speaking of the characters, bone dry personalities. The first chapter is supposed to give you somewhat of an introduction to the main characters. I wasn't thrown a bone. We start the novel with Abby, Shepley, and America attending an unground fight circle on a college campus?? Although the perspective is through Abby's eyes I have no idea who she is, left to read how she behaves and talks to piece together the kind of person she is. Even through that I am given nothing to piece together! She starts off as a shy yet curious bystander at the fight ring then suddenly turns unnecessarily aggressive and sarcastic in the cafeteria. I understand this can be seen as seeing two different aspects to Abby's personality but it could have been executed in a much different, better way.
So much was thrown in the first chapter and yet I hardly was able to grasp anything. I read paragraphs of empty words and half imagined characters barely finding their place in this story.
I understand this review is very harsh considering I only read one chapter but if I could manage to write a mini-paper on how much this book repulsed me based on one chapter, I think that should say enough on its own.
I couldn't read past chapter one. I had to force myself to read chapter one. It took me an entire evening of reading a few paragraphs, closing the book in disgust, and reluctantly opening it again to give it "one more chance" to read chapter one.
The characters' stereotypical "good shy can-stand-on-her-own girl meets bad-in-every-way yet misunderstood boy" tropes aside, the writing style is horrendous. I've read fanfiction that had more emotionally charged writing than this. Considering this is a romance novel through the female's perspective I thought we'd get a nice tour of her feelings, her fears, her caution, her reasonings. Unfortunately every sentence had the same texture as a saltine cracker; dry and flavorless. I am not a fan of books telling me than showing me. I don't mind reading a paragraph filled with fluff as long as I get a better understanding of the character and the current situation. There was no real movement in the story. It felt like someone re-telling their love story around a campfire and skirting around the details to shorten it up.
Speaking of the characters, bone dry personalities. The first chapter is supposed to give you somewhat of an introduction to the main characters. I wasn't thrown a bone. We start the novel with Abby, Shepley, and America attending an unground fight circle on a college campus?? Although the perspective is through Abby's eyes I have no idea who she is, left to read how she behaves and talks to piece together the kind of person she is. Even through that I am given nothing to piece together! She starts off as a shy yet curious bystander at the fight ring then suddenly turns unnecessarily aggressive and sarcastic in the cafeteria. I understand this can be seen as seeing two different aspects to Abby's personality but it could have been executed in a much different, better way.
So much was thrown in the first chapter and yet I hardly was able to grasp anything. I read paragraphs of empty words and half imagined characters barely finding their place in this story.
I understand this review is very harsh considering I only read one chapter but if I could manage to write a mini-paper on how much this book repulsed me based on one chapter, I think that should say enough on its own.