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Beautiful Girl
Darkness has a way of catching up...
Sophomore year at Dutchess College has just begun, and Nicole is still haunted by memories of her first love, Zach. As the changing leaves fall on the stately Hudson Valley campus, she takes solace in running—pushing herself to go harder, faster, to be the best. With the wind blowing through her hair, she can almost convince herself that she is beautiful, that she will find love again.
So when Nico runs, quite literally, into the maddeningly elusive Justin, she’s convinced she’s found the guy to make her forget her ex—despite the warnings of her friends and her straight-edged running partner, Luke.
But when Nico is attacked in the woods after a wild night of partying, everything changes. Suddenly, Nico begins receiving anonymous threats, and she no longer knows where to turn for help—or whether even her close friends can be trusted.
All she wants is to be one of the beautiful girls—the ones who never have to chase perfection. But in order to uncover the truth, she’ll have to face a past she had hoped to leave behind forever. She thought she could outrun the darkness, but darkness has a way of catching up…and only one boy can save her.
Sophomore year at Dutchess College has just begun, and Nicole is still haunted by memories of her first love, Zach. As the changing leaves fall on the stately Hudson Valley campus, she takes solace in running—pushing herself to go harder, faster, to be the best. With the wind blowing through her hair, she can almost convince herself that she is beautiful, that she will find love again.
So when Nico runs, quite literally, into the maddeningly elusive Justin, she’s convinced she’s found the guy to make her forget her ex—despite the warnings of her friends and her straight-edged running partner, Luke.
But when Nico is attacked in the woods after a wild night of partying, everything changes. Suddenly, Nico begins receiving anonymous threats, and she no longer knows where to turn for help—or whether even her close friends can be trusted.
All she wants is to be one of the beautiful girls—the ones who never have to chase perfection. But in order to uncover the truth, she’ll have to face a past she had hoped to leave behind forever. She thought she could outrun the darkness, but darkness has a way of catching up…and only one boy can save her.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2014
5 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 16, 2015
I'm a bit on the fence with this one. Beautiful Girl has great, fast-paced writing, but I feel like the story missed with me. For one, I couldn't connect with the main character or any other character for the matter. In fact, the only person I liked was Henry. Then again, one could say the characters in the story were... off. Personality-wise.
Let's look at Nicole. She had a lot of issues and obsessions. Her concern with what her roommates and other people thought about her bugged me a lot, especially when it came to Henry and some of the things she'd do based on her so-called friends' influence. I couldn't understand why she even bothered with them when they didn't have her best interest at heart. Like when Nicole went to that party and couldn't find them later on. Friends don't abandon friends at parties. That's a no-no. And then when that happened to Nicole and Kate and Monica played it off like it didn't happen at all, that pissed me off even more. But I guess the author wanted it to be that way, with how things turned out in the end.
As for Monica and Kate, I don't know. Monica showed signs of what was really going on with her from start, but my gosh, she should have been booted from their dorm before all hell broke loose. I mean, after everything she did to Nicole, it was silly to me that she continued to believe that she and Monica were real friends. Talk about naive. Kate wasn't as bad, but I really wanted her to get justice. The way that was handled was too lightly. Although, many do sweep it away in reality, but I wish the message in the story was that she went ahead and told the right people what happened to her. She didn't. Instead, she encouraged Nicole to speak out about her issue. I felt like that was hypocritical.
Other aspects of the story were Nicole's body issues, her relationship with her family and boys. The romance part that she forced with what's his name didn't really grab my interest because the whole time I was waiting for her to come to her senses and give Henry a chance. In regards to the ending, it was okay. But it was odd that Nicole confused two voices when they were of different sexes and she wasn't drunk enough to justify that.
So overall, Beautiful Girl started out good and intriguing, but then it was like too many things were being thrown at me and I lost touch with the main purpose of the story, which I still haven't quite figured out. I feel like it would have worked more as a suspense and maybe certain aspects should have been cut. That's just my opinion though. All in all, it had lucid writing and a sweet male character that I liked, and that's why I'm giving it three stars.
Let's look at Nicole. She had a lot of issues and obsessions. Her concern with what her roommates and other people thought about her bugged me a lot, especially when it came to Henry and some of the things she'd do based on her so-called friends' influence. I couldn't understand why she even bothered with them when they didn't have her best interest at heart. Like when Nicole went to that party and couldn't find them later on. Friends don't abandon friends at parties. That's a no-no. And then when that happened to Nicole and Kate and Monica played it off like it didn't happen at all, that pissed me off even more. But I guess the author wanted it to be that way, with how things turned out in the end.
As for Monica and Kate, I don't know. Monica showed signs of what was really going on with her from start, but my gosh, she should have been booted from their dorm before all hell broke loose. I mean, after everything she did to Nicole, it was silly to me that she continued to believe that she and Monica were real friends. Talk about naive. Kate wasn't as bad, but I really wanted her to get justice. The way that was handled was too lightly. Although, many do sweep it away in reality, but I wish the message in the story was that she went ahead and told the right people what happened to her. She didn't. Instead, she encouraged Nicole to speak out about her issue. I felt like that was hypocritical.
Other aspects of the story were Nicole's body issues, her relationship with her family and boys. The romance part that she forced with what's his name didn't really grab my interest because the whole time I was waiting for her to come to her senses and give Henry a chance. In regards to the ending, it was okay. But it was odd that Nicole confused two voices when they were of different sexes and she wasn't drunk enough to justify that.
So overall, Beautiful Girl started out good and intriguing, but then it was like too many things were being thrown at me and I lost touch with the main purpose of the story, which I still haven't quite figured out. I feel like it would have worked more as a suspense and maybe certain aspects should have been cut. That's just my opinion though. All in all, it had lucid writing and a sweet male character that I liked, and that's why I'm giving it three stars.
January 29, 2015
Amazing!
November 22, 2014
It's been quite a while since I've read a good NA Contemporary like Beautiful Girl that hasn't felt as repetitive like many others out there. Beautiful Girl is intriguing, dark, messed up, at times spooky, and other times oddly motivating. I had really high hopes for this book and I'm so glad it didn't disappoint!
Bullimia, drugs, and relationship issues are only a few of the serious problems the main character, Nicole, has to face. After practicing ballet for most of her life, Nicole couldn't deal with the pressure of perfection any longer, and thus falls into a state of bulimia and dropps out of ballet. Now fast forward to her sophomore year of college, Nicole hasn't thrown up for four months now, but she's on the brink of falling back again to her old habits what with the break-up with her boyfriend, social pressures, and not to mention the paranoia that sets in after being attacked in the woods one night. Nicole just wants to be a Beautiful Girl, but apparently, it's too much to ask.
I liked Nicole and I definitely felt bad about her, but I won't lie by saying that it wasn't tough trying to connect with her. Maybe because she exposed herself most of the time to several dire situations knowing full well they were not good for her. She endlessly partied, she drank, she went for the boys that were a definite bad influence, and always ignored the alarm bells going on and off. At times I wanted to shake some sense into her, but I learned that she didn't do anything on purpose, there's really nothing wrong about liking to party or to drink among friends, it's just the bad crowd and bad timing that sucked.
However, I did like her dedication towards running (except her obsession) and, despite how crappy her life was, she was actually a nice, smart person that cared for her friends and didn't carry along any shallow thoughts about them even when they didn't deserve her niceness. Also, if she crossed paths with people who were the complete opposite of her, she would admire them and wish them well. She could see the good and bad of people, but unfortunately wouldn't see that in herself.
I'm not going to speak about Justin OR Zack because I never liked them, but I will speak about the lovely Henry (my favorite character). That guy stole my heart from the first time Nicole mentioned him. He's the kind of person Nicole thinks she would never work with, that he would never see anything worth fighting for. He's not her kind of crowd, he doesn't party hard or drink, but instead opts to run and work in a team, and at the end of the day, stare up at the stars. I don't consider Henry to be her salvation, but he certainly helped her a bit to find the right direction, and I loved him for it.
Beautiful Girl gave me the chills and made me slip into the emotional ride that was Nicole's life as she struggles to become a beautiful girl. This book made me doubt about my own feelings towards many of the characters and question their true intentions. It made me realize once again that there's always more to a person than meets the eye and I loved how Beautiful Girl truly shows how darkness has a way of catching up ... but also a way of fighting back.
Find this review also at The Reader and The Chef! And thanks so much to the publisher for the review copy in exchange of my honest opinion.
Bullimia, drugs, and relationship issues are only a few of the serious problems the main character, Nicole, has to face. After practicing ballet for most of her life, Nicole couldn't deal with the pressure of perfection any longer, and thus falls into a state of bulimia and dropps out of ballet. Now fast forward to her sophomore year of college, Nicole hasn't thrown up for four months now, but she's on the brink of falling back again to her old habits what with the break-up with her boyfriend, social pressures, and not to mention the paranoia that sets in after being attacked in the woods one night. Nicole just wants to be a Beautiful Girl, but apparently, it's too much to ask.
I liked Nicole and I definitely felt bad about her, but I won't lie by saying that it wasn't tough trying to connect with her. Maybe because she exposed herself most of the time to several dire situations knowing full well they were not good for her. She endlessly partied, she drank, she went for the boys that were a definite bad influence, and always ignored the alarm bells going on and off. At times I wanted to shake some sense into her, but I learned that she didn't do anything on purpose, there's really nothing wrong about liking to party or to drink among friends, it's just the bad crowd and bad timing that sucked.
However, I did like her dedication towards running (except her obsession) and, despite how crappy her life was, she was actually a nice, smart person that cared for her friends and didn't carry along any shallow thoughts about them even when they didn't deserve her niceness. Also, if she crossed paths with people who were the complete opposite of her, she would admire them and wish them well. She could see the good and bad of people, but unfortunately wouldn't see that in herself.
I'm not going to speak about Justin OR Zack because I never liked them, but I will speak about the lovely Henry (my favorite character). That guy stole my heart from the first time Nicole mentioned him. He's the kind of person Nicole thinks she would never work with, that he would never see anything worth fighting for. He's not her kind of crowd, he doesn't party hard or drink, but instead opts to run and work in a team, and at the end of the day, stare up at the stars. I don't consider Henry to be her salvation, but he certainly helped her a bit to find the right direction, and I loved him for it.
Beautiful Girl gave me the chills and made me slip into the emotional ride that was Nicole's life as she struggles to become a beautiful girl. This book made me doubt about my own feelings towards many of the characters and question their true intentions. It made me realize once again that there's always more to a person than meets the eye and I loved how Beautiful Girl truly shows how darkness has a way of catching up ... but also a way of fighting back.
Find this review also at The Reader and The Chef! And thanks so much to the publisher for the review copy in exchange of my honest opinion.
October 28, 2014
BEAUTIFUL GIRL is a dark and intriguing story with gorgeous writing, an array of disturbing, maddening, sympathetic, likable and detestable characters facing a number of tough issues, and a chilling and suspenseful mystery. It’s the story of a girl who is battling the demons from her past, who is trying to find a way to move on from an unhealthy relationship that left her heartbroken, who is trying to be there for her friends who need her help, and who is trying to learn to be strong, to be happy, to like herself.
The weight of the story is immediately apparent, as the author paints a haunting and melancholy picture with the prologue. And as the story progresses things becomes even more serious, even darker and more disturbing. Glimpses of Nicole’s life as a ballerina, of her parents, of her ex-boyfriend Zach, and of the way things used to be with her roommates versus the way they are, reveal a past and present filled with pain and anguish and someone who is desperate to fight to survive it all.
Told using first person narrative, readers will be able to more easily connect with Nicole, who is insecure, at times self-absorbed, sympathetic but not always likable. They’ll know only what she knows, when she knows it, adding to the apprehension and building tension. They’ll be able to know just how she feels about her friends and how she perceives them, making them more relatable than they would otherwise be.
Author Lida James took a risk by tackling so many difficult issues in her story – among them assault, stalking, eating disorders, mental illness – introducing a character who is incredibly flawed, and whose friends can hardly be called that. But in doing so she created a story that is distinctive, that allows readers to make an emotional connection – positive or negative – to the story and its characters, and that challenges readers to enjoy a story that might be out of their comfort zone.
BEAUTIFUL GIRL is a sad, scary, twisted, disturbing, hopeful, moving, provocative, engaging, interesting and thought-provoking story and a throughly entertaining read.
Original GR comments:
Loved the writing. The author's way with words was what drew me to this story. The characters were flawed, disturbed and disturbing, and deserving of sympathy. The main character was very relatable even when not always likable. Her story was sad and scary and I loved the way the author revealed it. There was a mystery. The story tackled a number of issues from eating disorders, to illness, to sexual assault, just to name a few. But it was also a story about one girl's struggle with self-image, self-confidence and self-worth.
Review TK 10/28.
The weight of the story is immediately apparent, as the author paints a haunting and melancholy picture with the prologue. And as the story progresses things becomes even more serious, even darker and more disturbing. Glimpses of Nicole’s life as a ballerina, of her parents, of her ex-boyfriend Zach, and of the way things used to be with her roommates versus the way they are, reveal a past and present filled with pain and anguish and someone who is desperate to fight to survive it all.
Told using first person narrative, readers will be able to more easily connect with Nicole, who is insecure, at times self-absorbed, sympathetic but not always likable. They’ll know only what she knows, when she knows it, adding to the apprehension and building tension. They’ll be able to know just how she feels about her friends and how she perceives them, making them more relatable than they would otherwise be.
Author Lida James took a risk by tackling so many difficult issues in her story – among them assault, stalking, eating disorders, mental illness – introducing a character who is incredibly flawed, and whose friends can hardly be called that. But in doing so she created a story that is distinctive, that allows readers to make an emotional connection – positive or negative – to the story and its characters, and that challenges readers to enjoy a story that might be out of their comfort zone.
BEAUTIFUL GIRL is a sad, scary, twisted, disturbing, hopeful, moving, provocative, engaging, interesting and thought-provoking story and a throughly entertaining read.
Original GR comments:
Loved the writing. The author's way with words was what drew me to this story. The characters were flawed, disturbed and disturbing, and deserving of sympathy. The main character was very relatable even when not always likable. Her story was sad and scary and I loved the way the author revealed it. There was a mystery. The story tackled a number of issues from eating disorders, to illness, to sexual assault, just to name a few. But it was also a story about one girl's struggle with self-image, self-confidence and self-worth.
Review TK 10/28.
November 7, 2014
Well...
For the most part, I'm always game for a new author in the new adult genre... I think that my outlook on that is changing as the genre gets inundated with everything.
This cover screams intriguing and interesting... And the summary sounds like something I would love. And yet, as I turned the pages I quickly found that this was just not working for me.
First, I didn't connect with a single one of these characters. They felt flat and one dimensional they were uninteresting and I found myself hating almost all of them... In fact the only redeeming character here for me was Henry.
Next, the plot... I honestly couldn't tell you what this book was supposed to be about. I feel like there should be some kind of ultimate goal when someone is telling you a story... Like why should we as readers care about what is happening to this character, and I honestly found myself not caring one bit about anything happening here. The plot just kind of seemed all over the place and, without giving anything away, there was just too many things happening to this one character that didn't work for me... From the eating disorder, to the roommate issues, to the mystery as to who is stalking her to the character rape it was Just. Too. Much.
That said, give it a try... You may end up liking it more than me.
Thank you to PLL for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
For the most part, I'm always game for a new author in the new adult genre... I think that my outlook on that is changing as the genre gets inundated with everything.
This cover screams intriguing and interesting... And the summary sounds like something I would love. And yet, as I turned the pages I quickly found that this was just not working for me.
First, I didn't connect with a single one of these characters. They felt flat and one dimensional they were uninteresting and I found myself hating almost all of them... In fact the only redeeming character here for me was Henry.
Next, the plot... I honestly couldn't tell you what this book was supposed to be about. I feel like there should be some kind of ultimate goal when someone is telling you a story... Like why should we as readers care about what is happening to this character, and I honestly found myself not caring one bit about anything happening here. The plot just kind of seemed all over the place and, without giving anything away, there was just too many things happening to this one character that didn't work for me... From the eating disorder, to the roommate issues, to the mystery as to who is stalking her to the character rape it was Just. Too. Much.
That said, give it a try... You may end up liking it more than me.
Thank you to PLL for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
November 3, 2014
Come by The Accidental Reader for this review and more :D
3.5 stars
So, this was an interesting read. I shall simplify:
Why you should read the book
First of all, the writing. While I would not claim it to be the most beautiful writing I had ever encountered (Not even close), it is beautiful. Every few sentences or paragraphs there will be a description that will cut into me like a sharp knife. Something that had me thinking- "yeah, I know that. That's how I think of that".
Secondly, this book has many issues from drugs and anorexia to stalking and death threats. Really, this book covers many subjects and it takes them all seriously. Self insecurity in a major level as well.
Thridly, the characters in this book are somewhat complicated. Some of them are flawed more than the others. Others are simply lost. Some of them are admirable and some are just jerks. However you look at that they are varied and tehre is plenty to love, hate or connect to in one degree or the other.
Fourth, there are all kinds of relationships in this book- from true friendships to healthy romantic relationships to abusive relationships and fake friendships. I really loved how the author showed the various relationships there are in a person's life, and while showing how some of them are wrong and one should not stay in them she did not once judge them. Rather, she let us watch, she let us know how the character felt and she let us come to our own conclusion.
Fifth, this is a a story of hope. I'll explain in a bit.
Why you shouldn't read the book
first of all, this seems like a thriller from the cover to the name to the synopsis. When I requested for it I thought I was in for a New-Adult thriller. Something serious and edgy. I did get something serious and edgy, but the thriller aspect of it was not the main one and it wasn't that unpredictable.
Also, as I said there are various characters and they are quite varied. One thing they have in common is that they are very likeable and a little hard to relate. Yes, they have human problems. Yes, I can understand them. However, connecting on a deeper level- for more than just scene or a feeling is a lot harder.
As I already mentioned this book deals with many issues and while it deals with all of them seriously, I have to admit the book was quite ambitious touching so many subjects. It is like when someone is trying to throw those 10 balls in the air and catch them all at the same time. What I mean is that at the end of the day with so many issues and subjects to cover you are left with nothing. It's like when you can't see the forest because of all the trees.
My thoughts
This was a nice read, an intriguing one, Fact is some of the issues are grandeur, but some I think most people deal with in their life- like the need to be beautiful, to connect, to belong, to be loved. Those are things that many of us experience at different points in life.
Nicole also dealt with them and she became stronger, yes, she was far from perfect (in teh start and in the end) and she still has a lot to work on by the end of the book but her story is a hopeful one. She learns. Which says something considering how annoying I found her at first when she tried to act like this "Big Girl" who can handle things and ignored the warning of teh people around her- but aren't we all like that sometimes? Despite the darkness the story keeps on reminding us there is hope- you learn, you keep in going, you grow stronger, There is always hope.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
3.5 stars
So, this was an interesting read. I shall simplify:
Why you should read the book
First of all, the writing. While I would not claim it to be the most beautiful writing I had ever encountered (Not even close), it is beautiful. Every few sentences or paragraphs there will be a description that will cut into me like a sharp knife. Something that had me thinking- "yeah, I know that. That's how I think of that".
Secondly, this book has many issues from drugs and anorexia to stalking and death threats. Really, this book covers many subjects and it takes them all seriously. Self insecurity in a major level as well.
Thridly, the characters in this book are somewhat complicated. Some of them are flawed more than the others. Others are simply lost. Some of them are admirable and some are just jerks. However you look at that they are varied and tehre is plenty to love, hate or connect to in one degree or the other.
Fourth, there are all kinds of relationships in this book- from true friendships to healthy romantic relationships to abusive relationships and fake friendships. I really loved how the author showed the various relationships there are in a person's life, and while showing how some of them are wrong and one should not stay in them she did not once judge them. Rather, she let us watch, she let us know how the character felt and she let us come to our own conclusion.
Fifth, this is a a story of hope. I'll explain in a bit.
Why you shouldn't read the book
first of all, this seems like a thriller from the cover to the name to the synopsis. When I requested for it I thought I was in for a New-Adult thriller. Something serious and edgy. I did get something serious and edgy, but the thriller aspect of it was not the main one and it wasn't that unpredictable.
Also, as I said there are various characters and they are quite varied. One thing they have in common is that they are very likeable and a little hard to relate. Yes, they have human problems. Yes, I can understand them. However, connecting on a deeper level- for more than just scene or a feeling is a lot harder.
As I already mentioned this book deals with many issues and while it deals with all of them seriously, I have to admit the book was quite ambitious touching so many subjects. It is like when someone is trying to throw those 10 balls in the air and catch them all at the same time. What I mean is that at the end of the day with so many issues and subjects to cover you are left with nothing. It's like when you can't see the forest because of all the trees.
My thoughts
This was a nice read, an intriguing one, Fact is some of the issues are grandeur, but some I think most people deal with in their life- like the need to be beautiful, to connect, to belong, to be loved. Those are things that many of us experience at different points in life.
Nicole also dealt with them and she became stronger, yes, she was far from perfect (in teh start and in the end) and she still has a lot to work on by the end of the book but her story is a hopeful one. She learns. Which says something considering how annoying I found her at first when she tried to act like this "Big Girl" who can handle things and ignored the warning of teh people around her- but aren't we all like that sometimes? Despite the darkness the story keeps on reminding us there is hope- you learn, you keep in going, you grow stronger, There is always hope.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
January 25, 2015
Nicole is starting her sophomore year at college trying to keep herself together. She has not binged/purged in 4 months, despite her urge to do so. She joined the track team to keep her in shape and give her a goal to strive for. She is also trying to stay away from her old life filled with partying, cocaine and her hurtful ex-boyfriend. One night on the way home from a party, she is attacked and almost killed. She doesn’t tell anyone, but then she is left threatening messages and being watched. She does not know who or why someone is after her, but it feels likes she can’t trust anyone.
So I started reading Beautiful Girl without remembering what the plot was suppose to be about, so I had no real idea what I was going to be reading. What I got was a book about a severely damaged girl trying not to drown while away at college while some crazy attacked her and she is now being stalked. This was a mess of a book, but in a really good way. I was intrigued by everything that happened, so wrapped up in her world and how she viewed everything, including herself. The book is very dark and full of awful topics such as rape, drugs, abuse, eating disorders, mental disorders and hard choices. It was hard to read about, but a good read with a really compelling character.
Nicole has some serious problems, but man I rooted for her. Every set back and poor choice made me cringe for her and worry. I wanted her to become a healthy person with a normal body image, I wanted her to find a boyfriend who would be good for her not the druggie she was hooked on, I wanted her to make her running goal, I wanted her to get into the writing program. The author had a way of sucking me into Nicole’s life so much so that I became invested in her. There were a few times when she did stupid things like drugs, and I wanted to smack it out of her hands or do an intervention. I found Nicole to be a very nice compassionate person who wanted to help others but could not help herself.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story also. There were so many freaking characters in the book, all who had something shady or a misgiving to put them into my potential suspect category. Seriously, almost every minor character I suspected at one point of being Nicole’s attacker. I became almost as jumpy as Nicole was while I was reading, flinching at sounds around me, increasing paranoia. This is the kind of thriller/mystery I really enjoy because this is real life stuff, regular people become unhinged and do stupid things. Moral of the story, people are scary. By half way through the book I was convinced that I knew who the stalker was and exactly what would happen. Well, let me tell you that I was wrong. Nicole and I both were completely convinced as to who was stalking her (I came to the conclusion soon than Nicole, but we still ended up in the same place) but we came to the wrong person. The stalker was someone I never even expected and mainly that is because I could not find a motive for said person. Even when the story ended, I was still not sure why they attacked Nicole. It made no sense to me, but it was well executed anyway.
I really enjoyed the story, even the dark parts, and I will most certainly read more form this author in the future.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange from my honest review.
For more of my reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com
So I started reading Beautiful Girl without remembering what the plot was suppose to be about, so I had no real idea what I was going to be reading. What I got was a book about a severely damaged girl trying not to drown while away at college while some crazy attacked her and she is now being stalked. This was a mess of a book, but in a really good way. I was intrigued by everything that happened, so wrapped up in her world and how she viewed everything, including herself. The book is very dark and full of awful topics such as rape, drugs, abuse, eating disorders, mental disorders and hard choices. It was hard to read about, but a good read with a really compelling character.
Nicole has some serious problems, but man I rooted for her. Every set back and poor choice made me cringe for her and worry. I wanted her to become a healthy person with a normal body image, I wanted her to find a boyfriend who would be good for her not the druggie she was hooked on, I wanted her to make her running goal, I wanted her to get into the writing program. The author had a way of sucking me into Nicole’s life so much so that I became invested in her. There were a few times when she did stupid things like drugs, and I wanted to smack it out of her hands or do an intervention. I found Nicole to be a very nice compassionate person who wanted to help others but could not help herself.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story also. There were so many freaking characters in the book, all who had something shady or a misgiving to put them into my potential suspect category. Seriously, almost every minor character I suspected at one point of being Nicole’s attacker. I became almost as jumpy as Nicole was while I was reading, flinching at sounds around me, increasing paranoia. This is the kind of thriller/mystery I really enjoy because this is real life stuff, regular people become unhinged and do stupid things. Moral of the story, people are scary. By half way through the book I was convinced that I knew who the stalker was and exactly what would happen. Well, let me tell you that I was wrong. Nicole and I both were completely convinced as to who was stalking her (I came to the conclusion soon than Nicole, but we still ended up in the same place) but we came to the wrong person. The stalker was someone I never even expected and mainly that is because I could not find a motive for said person. Even when the story ended, I was still not sure why they attacked Nicole. It made no sense to me, but it was well executed anyway.
I really enjoyed the story, even the dark parts, and I will most certainly read more form this author in the future.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange from my honest review.
For more of my reviews visit my blog at http://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com
November 1, 2014
Review Posted on Reading Lark 11/1/14: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2014/...
Nicole is having trouble settling into her sophomore year at Dutchess College in upstate New York. Her summer was spent with her doctor trying to battle her demons. Nicole is not the easiest protagonist to support. There were many moments that I shook my head at her actions, but as her past bubbles to the surface, I understood her more. A darkness is wrapped around Nicole's psyche with its claws in so deep that she can't shake her skewed perceptions of herself and her reality.
Running becomes Nicole's new normal. She throws herself into it with everything she has and strives to push herself to the brink. Nicole is attracted to things that make her forget herself and her mistakes. As a result, she rarely does anything in moderation. Nicole's incessant need to prove herself permeated this story and it is what ultimately allowed me to feel more sympathy for her.
In addition to Nicole struggling with her personal demons, there is a darkness that shrouds this novel. The darkness is realistic and highlights some of the negative aspects of college life. The most difficult aspect of this novel for me was the slut shaming and the bullying, but Nicole's sense of self was also rough to read. Nicole did not deserve the treatment she receives nor does any female. While the subject matter was difficult for me at times, I feel like it is important for young women to understand that these sorts of actions are not warranted or valid. I also worry that so many will keep silent when horrible things are done like Nicole does. Hopefully her story will encourage others to speak up.
My biggest complaint was Nicole. As I mentioned before, she is not an easy character to love. She has so many barriers between her and the reader. These barriers make sense later on in the story, but in the beginning of the novel I found myself struggling to understand her choices. For example, she is attacked walking home alone one night from a party, but a few chapters later she leaves a crowded nightclub to walk home alone at night once again. She's still reeling from her first encounter with violence so it didn't make sense to me that she would put herself in another vulnerable position so quickly.
In spite of the dark subject matter and the mystery/thriller aspects, there are some rays of positivity in this one as well. Certain characters represent the goodness that still exists in the world. In a time where so many bad things seem to happen on a daily basis, it is nice to be reminded that not everything and everyone in the world is a bleak spot. There is still joy to be experienced. There are still great loves to be had. I think in the end Lida James has created a story that will remind you of the beauty of hope and new beginnings.
One Last Gripe: I predicted some of the twists fairly easily.
Favorite Thing About This Book: The positive relationships
First Sentence: I've always wanted to be beautiful, but you can't force it - real beauty is when you don't have to try, it's just there.
Favorite Character: Henry
Least Favorite Character: Zach
Nicole is having trouble settling into her sophomore year at Dutchess College in upstate New York. Her summer was spent with her doctor trying to battle her demons. Nicole is not the easiest protagonist to support. There were many moments that I shook my head at her actions, but as her past bubbles to the surface, I understood her more. A darkness is wrapped around Nicole's psyche with its claws in so deep that she can't shake her skewed perceptions of herself and her reality.
Running becomes Nicole's new normal. She throws herself into it with everything she has and strives to push herself to the brink. Nicole is attracted to things that make her forget herself and her mistakes. As a result, she rarely does anything in moderation. Nicole's incessant need to prove herself permeated this story and it is what ultimately allowed me to feel more sympathy for her.
In addition to Nicole struggling with her personal demons, there is a darkness that shrouds this novel. The darkness is realistic and highlights some of the negative aspects of college life. The most difficult aspect of this novel for me was the slut shaming and the bullying, but Nicole's sense of self was also rough to read. Nicole did not deserve the treatment she receives nor does any female. While the subject matter was difficult for me at times, I feel like it is important for young women to understand that these sorts of actions are not warranted or valid. I also worry that so many will keep silent when horrible things are done like Nicole does. Hopefully her story will encourage others to speak up.
My biggest complaint was Nicole. As I mentioned before, she is not an easy character to love. She has so many barriers between her and the reader. These barriers make sense later on in the story, but in the beginning of the novel I found myself struggling to understand her choices. For example, she is attacked walking home alone one night from a party, but a few chapters later she leaves a crowded nightclub to walk home alone at night once again. She's still reeling from her first encounter with violence so it didn't make sense to me that she would put herself in another vulnerable position so quickly.
In spite of the dark subject matter and the mystery/thriller aspects, there are some rays of positivity in this one as well. Certain characters represent the goodness that still exists in the world. In a time where so many bad things seem to happen on a daily basis, it is nice to be reminded that not everything and everyone in the world is a bleak spot. There is still joy to be experienced. There are still great loves to be had. I think in the end Lida James has created a story that will remind you of the beauty of hope and new beginnings.
One Last Gripe: I predicted some of the twists fairly easily.
Favorite Thing About This Book: The positive relationships
First Sentence: I've always wanted to be beautiful, but you can't force it - real beauty is when you don't have to try, it's just there.
Favorite Character: Henry
Least Favorite Character: Zach
March 13, 2017
The perfect story about acceptance, overcoming temptation, and so many other things that all persons in the world face to some degree. It covers so many issues within this well written little tale, and manages to avoid being crowded. I was curious throughout, and ultimately satisfied with the ending. I would give it an extra star if I could. ❤️
November 9, 2014
I read this in one go! It's like 'Gone Girl' meets 'Black Swan'-edge of the seat exciting. Not since Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History," has a college scene drama been so riveting and suspenseful. A must read drama...can't wait for the movie!
October 28, 2015
It's one of those books where I really enjoyed the blurb, but felt disappointed while reading it. Interesting themes, setting, and panel of characters, but I wish I could have all liked them more to give a 4th star. Full review coming soon! :)
Read
November 4, 2014Dark + suspenseful... more to come!
July 28, 2015
Why does a random guy always have to be the solution to a damaged girl's problems? Why can't she find the strength on her own?
June 13, 2015
Beautiful Girl is the first book I’ve read from Paper Lantern Lit’s publishing imprint and it’s definitely set my expectations pretty high for their future books. Lida James’ debut novel has pretty much everything readers could want: suspense, romance, mystery, and betrayal. I was hooked from the moment I picked it up.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Nicole when I first started the book. She’s not an easy girl to like and it was hard for me to figure out if she might be a little bit crazy. She definitely seemed like she might be a bit of an unreliable narrator. She was paranoid and a little obsessive when it came to certain people in her life. She was also very confused about guys. She was a little bit of a tease and that was probably my biggest issue with her. She had 3 or 4 guys interested in her and it seemed like she just played them all. I had no clue which one of the guys she was truly interested in although I knew which one I thought she should be interested in. Henry was the only guy that seemed to be really good for Nicole. He was sweet and charming and a little shy. He was good for her and didn’t bring out the bad side of her like Justin or Zach did.
As for the mystery, I saw part of it from the start but there were many things that managed to surprise me throughout the course of the book. Things kept happening and I’d expect one person to be doing them only to find out later that it was someone else. I think Nicole’s paranoia really added to the mystery. There were times when I was sure she was right about whoever was attacking her and other times I was sure she was just losing her mind. It kept things interesting, that’s for sure.
The friendships in the book really did very little for me. Nicole’s roommates were supposed to be her friends but I saw Monica more as a frenemy than anything and Kate was barely there for most of the book. I just didn’t understand any of the draws for the friendships and I thought they were actually quite mean to each other. They definitely had more of a relationship that involved a lot of backstabbing and jealousy.
Overall, Beautiful Girl is a thoroughly interesting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It definitely fits into the new adult category since it deals a lot with sex, drugs, alcohol, and other explicit content but it’s not done for the shock factor alone. I’d highly recommend this one for fans of suspense.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Nicole when I first started the book. She’s not an easy girl to like and it was hard for me to figure out if she might be a little bit crazy. She definitely seemed like she might be a bit of an unreliable narrator. She was paranoid and a little obsessive when it came to certain people in her life. She was also very confused about guys. She was a little bit of a tease and that was probably my biggest issue with her. She had 3 or 4 guys interested in her and it seemed like she just played them all. I had no clue which one of the guys she was truly interested in although I knew which one I thought she should be interested in. Henry was the only guy that seemed to be really good for Nicole. He was sweet and charming and a little shy. He was good for her and didn’t bring out the bad side of her like Justin or Zach did.
As for the mystery, I saw part of it from the start but there were many things that managed to surprise me throughout the course of the book. Things kept happening and I’d expect one person to be doing them only to find out later that it was someone else. I think Nicole’s paranoia really added to the mystery. There were times when I was sure she was right about whoever was attacking her and other times I was sure she was just losing her mind. It kept things interesting, that’s for sure.
The friendships in the book really did very little for me. Nicole’s roommates were supposed to be her friends but I saw Monica more as a frenemy than anything and Kate was barely there for most of the book. I just didn’t understand any of the draws for the friendships and I thought they were actually quite mean to each other. They definitely had more of a relationship that involved a lot of backstabbing and jealousy.
Overall, Beautiful Girl is a thoroughly interesting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It definitely fits into the new adult category since it deals a lot with sex, drugs, alcohol, and other explicit content but it’s not done for the shock factor alone. I’d highly recommend this one for fans of suspense.
December 17, 2014
I read to 21%... I just, no. I didn't like the main character. She was always thinking about what other people thought of her and was always contemplating her ex when obviously he didn't respect her as a person. Why would you want to go back to that when a ton of other guys are giving her attention? It's not like she was a wallflower, obviously.
And in that 21% almost nothing happened. Talking about everyday things is not what I was planning on reading when I read the blurb. Sure, it's nice but get to the story already please.
The writing style also didn't do it for me. It seemed too forced and awkward from what I read.
I'm so glad that I waited until this book was only $0.99 on Amazon rather than the original price of $2.99 when I first wish listed it. Then I would have been a bit angry for buying it.
I dunno. This book definitely wasn't for me. Maybe if I stuck with it more I would have gotten into it but I have a lot of other things to read and want to read besides forcing myself to focus on this book.
And in that 21% almost nothing happened. Talking about everyday things is not what I was planning on reading when I read the blurb. Sure, it's nice but get to the story already please.
The writing style also didn't do it for me. It seemed too forced and awkward from what I read.
I'm so glad that I waited until this book was only $0.99 on Amazon rather than the original price of $2.99 when I first wish listed it. Then I would have been a bit angry for buying it.
I dunno. This book definitely wasn't for me. Maybe if I stuck with it more I would have gotten into it but I have a lot of other things to read and want to read besides forcing myself to focus on this book.
October 24, 2014
This was a 2.5 star read for me. I had a hard time connecting with this story because the majority of characters were unlikable. The only character I liked was Henry. The story is told through Nicole's POV, attending college and all the problems that college can bring, the main problem there's way too many- drug use, eating disorders, stalking, rape, mental disorders, it just doesn't end. Nicole's roommates, Kate and Monica, are pretty horrible friends (what decent friend dresses up as you for Halloween). At times I had trouble following the story because one minute you're at a track meet, then a restaurant, next a party, with no bridge between each event showing how Nicole got there.
January 27, 2015
Started out promising -- the writing, the characters, the themes -- but quickly became uneven and scattered. Emotional transitions were odd, and the main character's motivations were all over the place and unbelievable. So often something horrible and shocking would happen, and in no time Nicole's mind would flit to some guy for no apparent reason, rather than the apparent threat to her safety. I loved the needy roommate -- I think we've all had one of those, so the situation was really relatable -- but that was the only thing that kept me hanging in there, and barely.
L.
L.
July 20, 2015
I would have liked this book better if more was explained in the end. When you find out who was behind the attack and the notes it was never really explained the why behind everything.
The author also brought up a lot of background information that was never really explored. The main character was at times frustrating with her thoughts and actions, and the author touched on her problems and mentioned some things about her parents, and especially her dad but never really explored the dynamic of how these things affected her.
The author also brought up a lot of background information that was never really explored. The main character was at times frustrating with her thoughts and actions, and the author touched on her problems and mentioned some things about her parents, and especially her dad but never really explored the dynamic of how these things affected her.
December 26, 2015
This book did not do it for me. The writing was mediocre, the plot disjointed, and the editing terrible. I slogged through to the end, just on principle, but I cannot say I enjoyed anything about this novel.
March 12, 2017
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
Sophomore year at Dutchess College has just begun, and Nicole is still haunted by memories of her first love, Zach. As the changing leaves fall on the stately Hudson Valley campus, she takes solace in running—pushing herself to go harder, faster, to be the best. With the wind blowing through her hair, she can almost convince herself that she is beautiful, that she will find love again.
So when Nico runs, quite literally, into the maddeningly elusive Justin, she’s convinced she’s found the guy to make her forget her ex—despite the warnings of her friends and her straight-edged running partner, Luke.But when Nico is attacked in the woods after a wild night of partying, everything changes. Suddenly, Nico begins receiving anonymous threats, and she no longer knows where to turn for help—or whether even her close friends can be trusted.
All she wants is to be one of the beautiful girls—the ones who never have to chase perfection. But in order to uncover the truth, she’ll have to face a past she had hoped to leave behind forever. She thought she could outrun the darkness, but darkness has a way of catching up.
So, I don't really know what to make of this story. The blurb sounded interesting, the cover is gorgeous and the NA/YA market is looking for new breakout authors and I thought this may have been a chance to do just that...
And I just don't know. Nicole was a character that, despite her multitude of issues, I found interesting. I just couldn't find myself connecting to her...or Nico or Luke or, to a lesser degree, Henry. And I think that was my major hurdle with this story. If there is one thing that I really need in a good book, it is strong characters that I can identify with, characters that take me along for the ride. None of them did.
However, characters aside, the writing itself was excellent, and saved this from being rated lower. The opening hooked me in and made me want to find more about Nicole, hoping that she would find what she was looking for. The reality of the situations for these characters was pretty much what I would expect for this age group - bulimia, relationships, self-image etc. All well handled and that was a positive, for sure.
Overall, a story that could have been far more (for me) but one that I think that should be read. Make up your own mind...
Paul
ARH
Sophomore year at Dutchess College has just begun, and Nicole is still haunted by memories of her first love, Zach. As the changing leaves fall on the stately Hudson Valley campus, she takes solace in running—pushing herself to go harder, faster, to be the best. With the wind blowing through her hair, she can almost convince herself that she is beautiful, that she will find love again.
So when Nico runs, quite literally, into the maddeningly elusive Justin, she’s convinced she’s found the guy to make her forget her ex—despite the warnings of her friends and her straight-edged running partner, Luke.But when Nico is attacked in the woods after a wild night of partying, everything changes. Suddenly, Nico begins receiving anonymous threats, and she no longer knows where to turn for help—or whether even her close friends can be trusted.
All she wants is to be one of the beautiful girls—the ones who never have to chase perfection. But in order to uncover the truth, she’ll have to face a past she had hoped to leave behind forever. She thought she could outrun the darkness, but darkness has a way of catching up.
So, I don't really know what to make of this story. The blurb sounded interesting, the cover is gorgeous and the NA/YA market is looking for new breakout authors and I thought this may have been a chance to do just that...
And I just don't know. Nicole was a character that, despite her multitude of issues, I found interesting. I just couldn't find myself connecting to her...or Nico or Luke or, to a lesser degree, Henry. And I think that was my major hurdle with this story. If there is one thing that I really need in a good book, it is strong characters that I can identify with, characters that take me along for the ride. None of them did.
However, characters aside, the writing itself was excellent, and saved this from being rated lower. The opening hooked me in and made me want to find more about Nicole, hoping that she would find what she was looking for. The reality of the situations for these characters was pretty much what I would expect for this age group - bulimia, relationships, self-image etc. All well handled and that was a positive, for sure.
Overall, a story that could have been far more (for me) but one that I think that should be read. Make up your own mind...
Paul
ARH
March 9, 2016
I really had a hard time connecting with this one. I wasn't a fan of any of the characters and I really didn't get it. The book was about a lot of different things, but none of it pulled together for me. There was bulimia, rape, attacks, drug use, and a main character that is so confused about life, that it all just didn't translate well for me. The writing was good, well edited and this wouldn't stop me from reading one of her other books, I just didn't love it.
dnf
October 17, 2014DNF at 19%
I just put it down and I really don't feel any urge to pick it back up again. I wasn't getting into it at all.
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