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A New Kind of Beautiful
A moving novel about love, loss, and the beauty in the things we can't always see.
Paige Wilding has her future mapped out — the Year 10 Art prize. Graduation. A coveted spot in an elite art school in New York. But when she's diagnosed with an incurable eye disease, the perfect life she’s planned starts to blur.
She makes a choice to keep her condition secret and live louder, love wilder, and paint like her life depends on it. Only her best friend Jazz knows the truth, and is helping her cram a lifetime of colour into a single year.
But as her sight fades and she’s forced to give up painting, it’s Zac, her rival for the art prize, who helps Paige find a way back to her art and a new kind of beautiful; messy and imperfect but also raw, unfiltered and fiercely alive.
A powerful story about choosing real over perfect.
Paige Wilding has her future mapped out — the Year 10 Art prize. Graduation. A coveted spot in an elite art school in New York. But when she's diagnosed with an incurable eye disease, the perfect life she’s planned starts to blur.
She makes a choice to keep her condition secret and live louder, love wilder, and paint like her life depends on it. Only her best friend Jazz knows the truth, and is helping her cram a lifetime of colour into a single year.
But as her sight fades and she’s forced to give up painting, it’s Zac, her rival for the art prize, who helps Paige find a way back to her art and a new kind of beautiful; messy and imperfect but also raw, unfiltered and fiercely alive.
A powerful story about choosing real over perfect.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2026
About the author
Suzy Zail
22 books78 followersA Family lawyer in her past life, Suzy is now the bestselling author of more than 14 books for adults, teens and children. Suzy is best-known for her young adult novels, Inkflower, The Wrong Boy, Alexander Altmann A10567 and I am Change, stories that shine a light on injustice. She is also the founder of Give A Girl a Book, shipping more than 10,000 books (donated by school libraries and students) to girls in Africa who couldn’t otherwise afford them. Suzy's novels have won Reader's choice for Book of the Year for older readers, in the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards, been shortlisted for the Young Australians Best Book Awards and the U.K. Coventry Inspiration Book Awards and have been named an Outstanding International book by the United States Board on Books for Young People. Her books have been published in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, the U.S., Canada and the U.K. and are taught in secondary school History and English. Suzy lives in Melbourne Australia.
Visit her online at suzyzail.com.au and @authorsuzyzail
Visit her online at suzyzail.com.au and @authorsuzyzail
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 22, 2026
A former lawyer, Melbourne author Suzy Zail is best known for her award-winning YA and children’s novels, but she also writes for adults. Her latest novel A New Kind of Beautiful — about a teenage girl losing her sight — intrigued me because I read about the catalyst for it: someone in her family had been kept isolated at home for most of her life because she was blind. It was not until this aunt came to Australia after her parents died that she was able to learn Braille, read a book, cook a meal and have a home of her own. And at 60, she fell in love.
Zail wondered what it would be like to experience such a devastating loss in the teenage years.
The novel is a compelling portrait of a teenager coping (and not) with the devastating diagnosis. At first she’s in denial, and then she’s preoccupied with concealment, telling no one at school, refusing all help and technological aids, and relying on her BFF Jazz to help her negotiate the increasing social and educational difficulties she encounters.
With Jazz by her side, she cultivates a wild persona, featuring in TikTok videos doing all kinds of outrageous things. These make her popular with the shallow peers who have high status at the school, but this makes it harder and harder when she finds that she can’t cope with crowds, loud noises, and getting confused and lost. It is, eventually, Zac who rescues her in a low-key kind of way.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/08/22/a...
Zail wondered what it would be like to experience such a devastating loss in the teenage years.
The novel is a compelling portrait of a teenager coping (and not) with the devastating diagnosis. At first she’s in denial, and then she’s preoccupied with concealment, telling no one at school, refusing all help and technological aids, and relying on her BFF Jazz to help her negotiate the increasing social and educational difficulties she encounters.
With Jazz by her side, she cultivates a wild persona, featuring in TikTok videos doing all kinds of outrageous things. These make her popular with the shallow peers who have high status at the school, but this makes it harder and harder when she finds that she can’t cope with crowds, loud noises, and getting confused and lost. It is, eventually, Zac who rescues her in a low-key kind of way.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/08/22/a...
Review of advance copy
I am conflicted by A New Kind of Beautiful. Is it too relatable? Teenagers are so fraught with anxiety, moodiness, and narcissism, they’re fickle too, and the characters in this book have all of those traits in spades.
I kept wanting to yell at Paige, who is going blind: “Tell your friends! You might find they’re accommodating and understanding of your situation.” And then I thought back to my own teenage self and realised… I probably wouldn’t have told my friends either.
Paige’s parents set up a lot of services to support her condition, and Paige is not impressed. Again, I wanted to tell her, “Be nice to them, they’re suffering too.” But, if I’m honest, teenage me was probably just as unpleasant to my own parents.
As a librarian, I read a lot of Young Adult fiction, but I found this one almost too grounded in reality. There was no escape from the day-to-day aspects of school and home life. That said, the eye disease was interesting and clearly well researched, it would be devastating to develop, especially as a budding artist. This was where the story became most compelling. Paige’s rediscovery of art was a welcome relief from the relentless teenage angst of the first half of the book.
In the end, I think my conflict with this novel comes down to how closely it mirrors real teenage experience. It captures that stage of life with uncomfortable accuracy - the self-absorption, the poor decisions, the emotional intensity, but that realism can make it a frustrating read rather than an enjoyable one. While I appreciated the authenticity and the thoughtful exploration of Paige’s condition, I found myself wanting either more distance or more growth. It’s a book I admire more than I liked, and perhaps that says as much about being an adult reader as it does about the story itself.
I kept wanting to yell at Paige, who is going blind: “Tell your friends! You might find they’re accommodating and understanding of your situation.” And then I thought back to my own teenage self and realised… I probably wouldn’t have told my friends either.
Paige’s parents set up a lot of services to support her condition, and Paige is not impressed. Again, I wanted to tell her, “Be nice to them, they’re suffering too.” But, if I’m honest, teenage me was probably just as unpleasant to my own parents.
As a librarian, I read a lot of Young Adult fiction, but I found this one almost too grounded in reality. There was no escape from the day-to-day aspects of school and home life. That said, the eye disease was interesting and clearly well researched, it would be devastating to develop, especially as a budding artist. This was where the story became most compelling. Paige’s rediscovery of art was a welcome relief from the relentless teenage angst of the first half of the book.
In the end, I think my conflict with this novel comes down to how closely it mirrors real teenage experience. It captures that stage of life with uncomfortable accuracy - the self-absorption, the poor decisions, the emotional intensity, but that realism can make it a frustrating read rather than an enjoyable one. While I appreciated the authenticity and the thoughtful exploration of Paige’s condition, I found myself wanting either more distance or more growth. It’s a book I admire more than I liked, and perhaps that says as much about being an adult reader as it does about the story itself.
September 5, 2026
I don’t doubt that this will be on the 2027 CBCA list, and not just because the list likes “representation”, but because it is a genuinely well-written, thoughtfully-written, interesting, thought-provoking read.
(As an aside, it’s really obvious when awards choose a book to shortlist or win JUST because it happens to tick a box on someone’s “inclusivity”, “diverse”, “representation”, or “social justice issue” list. It’s a trend I despise, and I’ll be thrilled when this wins because it is simply a great read).
(As an aside, it’s really obvious when awards choose a book to shortlist or win JUST because it happens to tick a box on someone’s “inclusivity”, “diverse”, “representation”, or “social justice issue” list. It’s a trend I despise, and I’ll be thrilled when this wins because it is simply a great read).
July 1, 2026
“A New Kind of Beautiful” Suzy Zail
Thank you so much to Walker Books for this gorgeous sunset-style YA ARC! Releasing August 1st, 2026.
A moving novel about love, loss and the beauty in the things we can't always see.
Summary:
Paige has her future planned down to the smallest detail, but when everything she has worked towards is suddenly thrown into question, she's forced to rethink not only her dreams but who she is beyond them. This is a deeply moving coming-of-age story about identity, resilience, friendship, first love and learning that perfection isn't always where the beauty lies.
Thoughts:
I devoured this book in just two days and it completely shook me to my core.
This story made me feel everything. The anger. The grief. The guilt. The frustration. The desperate urge to give up. The longing to be truly seen and the hope and joy that comes from finding yourself again after life has completely unraveled.
Watching Paige navigate loss and rediscover herself was heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure. I loved that this wasn't a story about "fixing" someone—it was about learning to rebuild when the life you imagined is no longer possible. It was about taking pieces of who you were, embracing who you are now and finding the courage to step into the unknown as the person you were always meant to become.
The friendships felt authentic, the romance was beautifully woven into the story and every relationship carried so much emotional weight. The characters weren't perfect, and that's exactly what made them feel so real. I found myself tearing up multiple times because every emotion felt earned.
Tropes:
🎨 Coming of age
💛 Friends to something more
🖌️ Rivals to allies
🌅 Self-discovery
🎭 Finding beauty in imperfection
🤍 Emotional healing
✨ Character-driven storytelling
This is, without question, my favourite YA read of the year so far.
As a high school teacher, this is a book I'll be recommending to our library without hesitation. I genuinely believe everyone deserves to read a story like this—one that reminds us we are more than our circumstances, that it's okay to grieve the life we thought we'd have and that even in our hardest moments, we're never as alone as we think.
Thank you so much to Walker Books for this gorgeous sunset-style YA ARC! Releasing August 1st, 2026.
A moving novel about love, loss and the beauty in the things we can't always see.
Summary:
Paige has her future planned down to the smallest detail, but when everything she has worked towards is suddenly thrown into question, she's forced to rethink not only her dreams but who she is beyond them. This is a deeply moving coming-of-age story about identity, resilience, friendship, first love and learning that perfection isn't always where the beauty lies.
Thoughts:
I devoured this book in just two days and it completely shook me to my core.
This story made me feel everything. The anger. The grief. The guilt. The frustration. The desperate urge to give up. The longing to be truly seen and the hope and joy that comes from finding yourself again after life has completely unraveled.
Watching Paige navigate loss and rediscover herself was heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure. I loved that this wasn't a story about "fixing" someone—it was about learning to rebuild when the life you imagined is no longer possible. It was about taking pieces of who you were, embracing who you are now and finding the courage to step into the unknown as the person you were always meant to become.
The friendships felt authentic, the romance was beautifully woven into the story and every relationship carried so much emotional weight. The characters weren't perfect, and that's exactly what made them feel so real. I found myself tearing up multiple times because every emotion felt earned.
Tropes:
🎨 Coming of age
💛 Friends to something more
🖌️ Rivals to allies
🌅 Self-discovery
🎭 Finding beauty in imperfection
🤍 Emotional healing
✨ Character-driven storytelling
This is, without question, my favourite YA read of the year so far.
As a high school teacher, this is a book I'll be recommending to our library without hesitation. I genuinely believe everyone deserves to read a story like this—one that reminds us we are more than our circumstances, that it's okay to grieve the life we thought we'd have and that even in our hardest moments, we're never as alone as we think.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was such a beautifully written and moving story😭💛🌅🎨
Paige has her future planned down to the smallest detail until a progressive eye condition changes everything. As she comes to terms with losing her sight, she's forced to rediscover who she is beyond the future she always imagined, finding hope, love and beauty along the way.
The disability representation was incredibly touching and really made me stop and reflect. I loved that Paige's journey didn't shy away from the grief that comes with such a life-changing diagnosis. Her emotions felt so authentic, and I admired her bravery and courage, even when she didn't feel strong herself.
Paige’s true love is painting! And I loved how painting wasn't just a hobby in this story; it became a symbol of hope, identity and resilience! She may have lost her spark during her grief, but she found to connect with art in a much deeper sense. It was beautiful to read about🎨😭
One of my favourite parts was Paige's parents. I appreciated seeing how differently they each processed their grief while still sharing the same goal - to give Paige as normal a childhood and adolescence as possible. Their love for her was so evident, and it added so much heart to the story!!!
And Zac... 🥹 I absolutely loved him. I was so glad Paige eventually recognised that he was genuinely one of the good ones and allowed herself to trust him!!!!
This is a heartfelt coming of age story about grief, resilience, family and learning that life can still be beautiful, even when it doesn't go to plan💛
Out 1st August!
Thank you to Walker Books and Suzy Zail for the physical proof copy of this book.
Paige has her future planned down to the smallest detail until a progressive eye condition changes everything. As she comes to terms with losing her sight, she's forced to rediscover who she is beyond the future she always imagined, finding hope, love and beauty along the way.
The disability representation was incredibly touching and really made me stop and reflect. I loved that Paige's journey didn't shy away from the grief that comes with such a life-changing diagnosis. Her emotions felt so authentic, and I admired her bravery and courage, even when she didn't feel strong herself.
Paige’s true love is painting! And I loved how painting wasn't just a hobby in this story; it became a symbol of hope, identity and resilience! She may have lost her spark during her grief, but she found to connect with art in a much deeper sense. It was beautiful to read about🎨😭
One of my favourite parts was Paige's parents. I appreciated seeing how differently they each processed their grief while still sharing the same goal - to give Paige as normal a childhood and adolescence as possible. Their love for her was so evident, and it added so much heart to the story!!!
And Zac... 🥹 I absolutely loved him. I was so glad Paige eventually recognised that he was genuinely one of the good ones and allowed herself to trust him!!!!
This is a heartfelt coming of age story about grief, resilience, family and learning that life can still be beautiful, even when it doesn't go to plan💛
Out 1st August!
Thank you to Walker Books and Suzy Zail for the physical proof copy of this book.
August 29, 2026
TW: loss of eyesight, swearing
Thank you Walker Books Australia for sending me an ARC & final copy of A New Kind of Beautiful!
As someone who in their teenage years had to start wearing glasses to be able to see I could relate to Paige in a way (not quite the same circumstance but I also can't see at night so it's one reason why I don't have a driver's license)
There are moments in the book where I was firmly in Paige's corner - her best friend drops the ball little bit by being more focused on fitting in with the popular girls then what Paige needs.
There's a moment where Paige's mum is trying to make her independent with her condition but under the circumstances she really should have picked Paige up but it's all part of the journey.
Paige Wilding has her future mapped out — the Year 10 Art prize. Graduation. A coveted spot in an elite art school in New York. But when she's diagnosed with an incurable eye disease, the perfect life she’s planned starts to blur.
She makes a choice to keep her condition secret and live louder, love wilder, and paint like her life depends on it. Only her best friend Jazz knows the truth, and is helping her cram a lifetime of colour into a single year.
But as her sight fades and she’s forced to give up painting, it’s Zac, her rival for the art prize, who helps Paige find a way back to her art and a new kind of beautiful; messy and imperfect but also raw, unfiltered and fiercely alive.
A powerful story about choosing real over perfect.
Thank you Walker Books Australia for sending me an ARC & final copy of A New Kind of Beautiful!
As someone who in their teenage years had to start wearing glasses to be able to see I could relate to Paige in a way (not quite the same circumstance but I also can't see at night so it's one reason why I don't have a driver's license)
There are moments in the book where I was firmly in Paige's corner - her best friend drops the ball little bit by being more focused on fitting in with the popular girls then what Paige needs.
There's a moment where Paige's mum is trying to make her independent with her condition but under the circumstances she really should have picked Paige up but it's all part of the journey.
Paige Wilding has her future mapped out — the Year 10 Art prize. Graduation. A coveted spot in an elite art school in New York. But when she's diagnosed with an incurable eye disease, the perfect life she’s planned starts to blur.
She makes a choice to keep her condition secret and live louder, love wilder, and paint like her life depends on it. Only her best friend Jazz knows the truth, and is helping her cram a lifetime of colour into a single year.
But as her sight fades and she’s forced to give up painting, it’s Zac, her rival for the art prize, who helps Paige find a way back to her art and a new kind of beautiful; messy and imperfect but also raw, unfiltered and fiercely alive.
A powerful story about choosing real over perfect.
September 4, 2026
ARC REVIEW
This was such a beautiful and heartwarming story. Once I started I really struggled to put it down, it was so moving and really put your life into a new perspective.
Paige has an incurable eye disease, whilst trying to navigate high school, friendships and boys and her love for creating art. She’s ashamed of her condition and doesn’t want anyone to know besides her best friend jazz.
I really enjoyed their friendship as it progressed throughout the book, with the challenges you face as a teenager, not always agreeing on things and going through rough patches.
Her love for creating art may have been taken away when she lost her sight, but the friends and people around her showed her different ways to create art and restore her love for it.
This is such a well written book and you can tell there was a lot of research put into making this very accurate with the facts of someone living with blindness.
Thankyou walker books for the arc and finished copy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This was such a beautiful and heartwarming story. Once I started I really struggled to put it down, it was so moving and really put your life into a new perspective.
Paige has an incurable eye disease, whilst trying to navigate high school, friendships and boys and her love for creating art. She’s ashamed of her condition and doesn’t want anyone to know besides her best friend jazz.
I really enjoyed their friendship as it progressed throughout the book, with the challenges you face as a teenager, not always agreeing on things and going through rough patches.
Her love for creating art may have been taken away when she lost her sight, but the friends and people around her showed her different ways to create art and restore her love for it.
This is such a well written book and you can tell there was a lot of research put into making this very accurate with the facts of someone living with blindness.
Thankyou walker books for the arc and finished copy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
At first I thought I was too old for this book because it initially focused on superficial things like popularity and TikTok. But the more I read, the more invested I became. I really felt for Paige as she slowly lost her sight and with it, her love of art, (even though I had to keep reminding myself that teenagers are moody!)
The novel gives a moving insight into the diagnosis process, the emotional ups and downs, the hesitation around telling her friends and the support and devices available to her, alongside the ordinary pressures of teenage life. I loved that once Paige began to accept herself, leading to genuine connections, she was able to “see” more than before and express that again through her art.
The novel gives a moving insight into the diagnosis process, the emotional ups and downs, the hesitation around telling her friends and the support and devices available to her, alongside the ordinary pressures of teenage life. I loved that once Paige began to accept herself, leading to genuine connections, she was able to “see” more than before and express that again through her art.
August 26, 2026
This book is beautifully written in language that is poetic, clever and witty. The characters are very relatable, and the development of the protagonist as she comes to grips with her worsening vision is portrayed in a manner that is authentic and skillful. I loved the idea that becoming blind allowed her to 'see'.
I found the book insightful, informative and moving, and I think readers will grow in self-awareness as well as understanding and empathy as a result of reading it. The research that has gone into it is evident, and the storytelling masterful.
I found the book insightful, informative and moving, and I think readers will grow in self-awareness as well as understanding and empathy as a result of reading it. The research that has gone into it is evident, and the storytelling masterful.
August 7, 2026
Another amazing story by Suzy Zail that pulls at the heartstrings. This novel focuses on an incurable eye disease and how the FMC navigates it while in high school. I loved the gradual transition of Jazz and Paige’s characters; their behaviour and gradual change in personalities that felt seamless and not forced.
I loved that there were minor conflicts throughout and not one big event, everything felt super genuine.
The perfect read and definitely coming highly recommended by me.
I loved that there were minor conflicts throughout and not one big event, everything felt super genuine.
The perfect read and definitely coming highly recommended by me.
Review of advance copy
This is a great book. Zail tackles the most difficult subjects with heart and humour and a deeply genuine respect for teen readers (all readers!) and her characters. Paige's voice is funny, sassy and in her, Zail has created a powerful and courageous young woman you will never forget. Buy this book, read it, give it to your friends.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A beautiful new kind of novel - unexpectedly funny, given the main character's challenging situation.
Empathetic, sassy, moving - I LOVED this book.
And by the way, it's not just for young adults. This older adult found it to be a page-turner.
Highly reccomend.
Empathetic, sassy, moving - I LOVED this book.
And by the way, it's not just for young adults. This older adult found it to be a page-turner.
Highly reccomend.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I love stories about friendships put through a test. This one has great friendships and all kinds of tests. It also helped me imagine/appreciate what gradual visual impairment must be like.
September 5, 2026
moving, authentic account of a developing disability and the way it impacts not only the person but everyone around her.
September 13, 2026
This book is suitable for year 9 and 10 students. Girls, in particular, will relate to Paige's character. I would also recommend this book for reluctant readers. It is very easy to read and enjoy.
July 1, 2026
A New Kind of Beautiful is the first novel of Suzy Zail’s that I have read and the first Young Adult novel I’ve read in ages. Paige Wilding is a budding young artist with her future mapped out before her, until her world changes when she’s diagnosed with an incurable eye disease.
I enjoyed this book so much! Zail has a great way of navigating all the emotions Paige deals with throughout the book. At times I thought Paige was taking her anger out on her parent’s way too much, but I had to remind myself that she is a teenager navigating a huge change that will affect her life forever. Seeing the way Paige accepted her diagnosis and embracing her condition at the end of the novel was a great turnaround and really wrapped the book up. Overall, a great book and I can’t wait to read more from Zail in the future.
Thank you to Good Reading Magazine for the chance to read and review.
I enjoyed this book so much! Zail has a great way of navigating all the emotions Paige deals with throughout the book. At times I thought Paige was taking her anger out on her parent’s way too much, but I had to remind myself that she is a teenager navigating a huge change that will affect her life forever. Seeing the way Paige accepted her diagnosis and embracing her condition at the end of the novel was a great turnaround and really wrapped the book up. Overall, a great book and I can’t wait to read more from Zail in the future.
Thank you to Good Reading Magazine for the chance to read and review.
August 9, 2026
This book is literally its name, it was such a beautiful read!!! It was an emotional story about dealing with loss and choosing real over perfect and I loved it!
The story follows Paige whose mapped out future plans are in jeopardy when she is diagnosed with an incurable eye disease. It goes through her grief as her vision slowly fades and she is forced to give up painting.
The characters felt very real which I liked and the author did such a good job with the disability rep and Paiges character growth. Her writing was also really beautiful and it pulled me in straight away. I binged this book in pretty much one sitting because of it!
Overall I thought this was a great coming of age story about love and loss and I definitely recommend!
A New Kind Of Beautiful is out now! ✨
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