What do you think?
Rate this book
Beautiful Girl
Seventeen-year-old Melanie Kennicut is beautiful. Her entire life revolves around this beauty because her overly controlling mother has been dragging her to casting calls and auditions since she was four years old. According to Joanne Kennicut, Melanie was born to follow in her footsteps.
But Melanie never wanted this life. When a freak car accident leaves her with facial lacerations that will require plastic surgery, she can't help but wonder if this is the answer to her prayers. For the first time in her life, she has a chance to live like a normal teenager--at least for a little while--away from the photo shoots and movie sets that have dominated her entire existence.
But after Melanie allows her best friend to come to the house to see her, Joanne decides to hide her daughter in Montana for the remainder of the summer. There, Melanie won't be seen by anyone they know, and her face will heal in time for the scheduled surgery in late August. Joanne’s plan backfires, however, when Melanie meets Sam, a Native American boy hired by the home's owner to tend to the property. Sam is nothing like the Hollywood boys Melanie knows--he¹s poor, his father's a drunk who possesses a bizarre gift inherited from a Kootenai Shaman, and his only brother disappeared into the mountains after the death of their mother eight years before.
What transpires over a mere 36 hours after Sam and Melanie meet changes both of their lives in ways they never thought possible.
But Melanie never wanted this life. When a freak car accident leaves her with facial lacerations that will require plastic surgery, she can't help but wonder if this is the answer to her prayers. For the first time in her life, she has a chance to live like a normal teenager--at least for a little while--away from the photo shoots and movie sets that have dominated her entire existence.
But after Melanie allows her best friend to come to the house to see her, Joanne decides to hide her daughter in Montana for the remainder of the summer. There, Melanie won't be seen by anyone they know, and her face will heal in time for the scheduled surgery in late August. Joanne’s plan backfires, however, when Melanie meets Sam, a Native American boy hired by the home's owner to tend to the property. Sam is nothing like the Hollywood boys Melanie knows--he¹s poor, his father's a drunk who possesses a bizarre gift inherited from a Kootenai Shaman, and his only brother disappeared into the mountains after the death of their mother eight years before.
What transpires over a mere 36 hours after Sam and Melanie meet changes both of their lives in ways they never thought possible.
- GenresYoung AdultContemporary
150 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2015
412 people want to read
About the author
Fleur Philips
5 books33 followersFleur Philips is an award-winning author who holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Montana. Her first novel, I Am Lucky Bird, was selected as a General Fiction Finalist for the 2011 Book of the Year Award from ForeWord Reviews. Her second novel, Crumble, was named Young Adult Winner from the 2013 San Francisco Book Festival and was selected as a Young Adult Fiction Finalist by the 2013 International Book Awards. Additionally, Crumble is a Silver Medalist in the 2013 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards in the category of Young Adult, Mature Issues. Most recently, it was named a YA Fiction Finalist in the USA Best Book Awards from USA Book News. Her most recent novel, Beautiful Girl, was a YA Fiction Finalist in the 2015 USA Best Book Awards from USA Book News. Fleur lives in The Woodlands, Texas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 7, 2015
There are very few books that make me mad while reading it. This one did. And I wasn't mad because of what happened to the character. I was mad because I wasted my time reading this book. There are also VERY FEW books where I can't think of anything positive to say. This is one of those books. Here were my issues:
1. Zero character development - I didn't care about the character at all.
2. Plot - The synopsis indicates this was about a girl trying to learn that beauty comes from within. Where did she learn this? I finished the book and I am still scratching my head. No, this was about a spoiled rich girl upset about a car accident and a TEMPORARY disfigurement. So she runs away to Montana, where she falls instantly in love with the first boy who looks her in the eye (more on that later) and said disfigurement is promptly forgotten about. Seriously, it was NEVER mentioned until the end when she had to decide whether to have plastic surgery or not. It was really hard to feel sorry for her when she had the ability (and the money) to get plastic surgery as soon as her face healed. Who cares? I didn't. Also, what the hell was that ending about?? Suddenly the book became something else entirely. **Minor Spoiler Alert**: There was a hostage situation involving a character that was only ever mentioned and we didn't know anything about. The reasons behind the hostage situation were ridiculous, as was the outcome.
3. The Romance - Oh my God, the romance. Gag me with a spoon. Yeah, that's how much I hated it. She falls in love with a guy she meets TWICE. There are TWO conversations in the span of two days and THEY WERE IN LOVE!!! Not only that, but in the SECOND meeting, she runs away with him (just a spoiled brat leaving home for a night) and GETS NAKED with him!! This is a virgin who has never even dated, yet she falls in love with a guy she doesn't know and takes her clothes off for him immediately. SERIOUSLY??? And then the author had to introduce family drama with the guy as if we cared!! I thought this was supposed to be about a girl learning to love herself. No, it was about a girl finally able to love herself when some stranger looked at her. My mistake.
I know my review was very negative, but I feel VERY strongly about this book. I am surprised I was able to finish it. If I could give it zero stars, I would.
1. Zero character development - I didn't care about the character at all.
2. Plot - The synopsis indicates this was about a girl trying to learn that beauty comes from within. Where did she learn this? I finished the book and I am still scratching my head. No, this was about a spoiled rich girl upset about a car accident and a TEMPORARY disfigurement. So she runs away to Montana, where she falls instantly in love with the first boy who looks her in the eye (more on that later) and said disfigurement is promptly forgotten about. Seriously, it was NEVER mentioned until the end when she had to decide whether to have plastic surgery or not. It was really hard to feel sorry for her when she had the ability (and the money) to get plastic surgery as soon as her face healed. Who cares? I didn't. Also, what the hell was that ending about?? Suddenly the book became something else entirely. **Minor Spoiler Alert**: There was a hostage situation involving a character that was only ever mentioned and we didn't know anything about. The reasons behind the hostage situation were ridiculous, as was the outcome.
3. The Romance - Oh my God, the romance. Gag me with a spoon. Yeah, that's how much I hated it. She falls in love with a guy she meets TWICE. There are TWO conversations in the span of two days and THEY WERE IN LOVE!!! Not only that, but in the SECOND meeting, she runs away with him (just a spoiled brat leaving home for a night) and GETS NAKED with him!! This is a virgin who has never even dated, yet she falls in love with a guy she doesn't know and takes her clothes off for him immediately. SERIOUSLY??? And then the author had to introduce family drama with the guy as if we cared!! I thought this was supposed to be about a girl learning to love herself. No, it was about a girl finally able to love herself when some stranger looked at her. My mistake.
I know my review was very negative, but I feel VERY strongly about this book. I am surprised I was able to finish it. If I could give it zero stars, I would.
August 9, 2015
I read this book but to be honest I can not really remember too many details about it. This is because I felt no connection what so ever to the characters in the book and I found the storyline not that interesting. Even with the car crash I could not warm up to Melanie. Yes, she did turn more human after the accident but I did not feel the warmth about her. Plus her and Sam's romance to me felt too rushed.
For example Melanie had no experience with boys yet she meets Sam and right away is willing to have sexual relations with him. Yes, this does happen all the time but if Melanie was trying to show that she had some brains about her than she was not showing them. For me this book was not a winner but I did see a little glimmer of potential with the author's writing that I may check something else out by the author.
For example Melanie had no experience with boys yet she meets Sam and right away is willing to have sexual relations with him. Yes, this does happen all the time but if Melanie was trying to show that she had some brains about her than she was not showing them. For me this book was not a winner but I did see a little glimmer of potential with the author's writing that I may check something else out by the author.
July 7, 2015
2 Stars
More reviews on No Bent Spines
Part of BookSpark Summer Challenge // This did not effect my review in any way
REVIEW
Melanie is beautiful.
After an accident, scars coat her face like trees in a forest. There isn’t a place where they aren’t. Her mother controls her life, and is horrified by Melanie’s appearance. Because of this she has her husband book a trip to the middle of nowhere. In the middle of nowhere, Melanie meets a person who doesn’t see her for her face---beautiful or not. Melanie has to figure out if she wants to be beautiful, or find out what else is out there for her. But, of course, nothing is ever that simple.
BEAUTIFUL GIRL was short. Like, super short. Goodreads says it is 150 pages, but it didn’t even feel like that. I don’t particularly mean that as a compliment. I don’t know if my biggest complaint is the instantaneous love (falling head over heels in a need kind of way) or the lack of feelings I had toward Melanie or her mother or her brother or her said love interest. I don’t really have much to say about this novel because, even though a bunch happened, it didn’t feel like a whole bunch happened. Does that even make any sense? I suppose there was a girl trying desperately to break free, even if she didn’t actually know what she was trying to break free from. I suppose that the love the necessary in order for her to realize that she was worth something more than her face.
I suppose her mother needs to be redeemed. But, (of course there is a but) I can’t actually say I liked any of the events. They felt very two-dimensional. I didn’t find myself falling for Sam. He was a beacon for Melanie. A needed light. But I really wish that she didn’t fall so fast.
This book needed to slow down. Put on the brakes. Sit down for a second. Take a nap. It was just so, so fast paces to the point where it felt very rushed. It just wasn’t my cup of tea---the book was just two rushed and I couldn’t get the feeling of being connected to any of the characters.
Later Gators,
Jackie
More reviews on No Bent Spines
Part of BookSpark Summer Challenge // This did not effect my review in any way
REVIEW
Melanie is beautiful.
After an accident, scars coat her face like trees in a forest. There isn’t a place where they aren’t. Her mother controls her life, and is horrified by Melanie’s appearance. Because of this she has her husband book a trip to the middle of nowhere. In the middle of nowhere, Melanie meets a person who doesn’t see her for her face---beautiful or not. Melanie has to figure out if she wants to be beautiful, or find out what else is out there for her. But, of course, nothing is ever that simple.
BEAUTIFUL GIRL was short. Like, super short. Goodreads says it is 150 pages, but it didn’t even feel like that. I don’t particularly mean that as a compliment. I don’t know if my biggest complaint is the instantaneous love (falling head over heels in a need kind of way) or the lack of feelings I had toward Melanie or her mother or her brother or her said love interest. I don’t really have much to say about this novel because, even though a bunch happened, it didn’t feel like a whole bunch happened. Does that even make any sense? I suppose there was a girl trying desperately to break free, even if she didn’t actually know what she was trying to break free from. I suppose that the love the necessary in order for her to realize that she was worth something more than her face.
I suppose her mother needs to be redeemed. But, (of course there is a but) I can’t actually say I liked any of the events. They felt very two-dimensional. I didn’t find myself falling for Sam. He was a beacon for Melanie. A needed light. But I really wish that she didn’t fall so fast.
This book needed to slow down. Put on the brakes. Sit down for a second. Take a nap. It was just so, so fast paces to the point where it felt very rushed. It just wasn’t my cup of tea---the book was just two rushed and I couldn’t get the feeling of being connected to any of the characters.
Later Gators,
Jackie
August 23, 2015
Originally posted on Drunk On Pop
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
I am really disappointed with Beautiful Girl. I could tell that Fleur Philips is a wonderful writer, but I feel like this book was not her best work. Perhaps it was because it was so short – less than 200 pages. Or perhaps it was done on purpose. Regardless, this book takes a lot of very serious issues (kidnapping, alcoholism, death via murder/suicide, etc.) and handles it all a bit…. casually. It was like this really great story was just rushed through quickly to try and send it to press. And that’s what bothers me the most.
I mean, look at the summary. ONLY 36 HOURS. How can I support a relationship that “just feels right” after 36 hours? Why should I care what happens what to characters when I’m not given enough time to get to know them? The entire first half of the book was so shallow, and I had so many issues with it. Then the second half of the book was amazing. There was suspense, character development, realistic situations with realistic dialogue and realistic reactions. That’s how I know that this could have been so much better. Clearly she isn’t one of those authors with an idea and nothing to back it up. This easily could have been a 250-350 page book with some more backstory, or at least some more days of getting to know each other so their love would be believable. It just wasn’t, unfortunately. It’s one thing when a book is poorly executed and the writing is also bad. It’s a whole other level of disappointment when the writing is so good.
PLEASE NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from Booksparks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions held within this review are my own thoughts and feelings and do not reflect upon anyone else.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
I am really disappointed with Beautiful Girl. I could tell that Fleur Philips is a wonderful writer, but I feel like this book was not her best work. Perhaps it was because it was so short – less than 200 pages. Or perhaps it was done on purpose. Regardless, this book takes a lot of very serious issues (kidnapping, alcoholism, death via murder/suicide, etc.) and handles it all a bit…. casually. It was like this really great story was just rushed through quickly to try and send it to press. And that’s what bothers me the most.
I mean, look at the summary. ONLY 36 HOURS. How can I support a relationship that “just feels right” after 36 hours? Why should I care what happens what to characters when I’m not given enough time to get to know them? The entire first half of the book was so shallow, and I had so many issues with it. Then the second half of the book was amazing. There was suspense, character development, realistic situations with realistic dialogue and realistic reactions. That’s how I know that this could have been so much better. Clearly she isn’t one of those authors with an idea and nothing to back it up. This easily could have been a 250-350 page book with some more backstory, or at least some more days of getting to know each other so their love would be believable. It just wasn’t, unfortunately. It’s one thing when a book is poorly executed and the writing is also bad. It’s a whole other level of disappointment when the writing is so good.
PLEASE NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from Booksparks in exchange for an honest review. All opinions held within this review are my own thoughts and feelings and do not reflect upon anyone else.
June 13, 2018
I should have believed the reviews of most of the other reviewers. This was not the best book. It had little to no character development. None of the characters were likeable. When bad things happened I didn't care because I didn't care about the characters. The story drew on and on, and there were several grammatical errors that took me out of the story. The ending wasn't believable, and the fact that Melanie faced no charges after the accident that cut her face, made this even more unbelievable. Also, the idea that a few cuts on her face made her "Ugly" wasn't realistic either. The depth and breadth of the injuries weren't described in detail enough to make me believe that they were that life altering. I've seen serious injuries that cause the injured person to hide their face, and the way Melanie's injuries were described only made her seem like a baby for hiding and feeling like she did.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Sorry, but it was unbelievable and I really didn't care about any of the characters.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Sorry, but it was unbelievable and I really didn't care about any of the characters.
August 6, 2015
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON MIAINNARNIA.BLOGSPOT.CO.UK
THIS BOOK WAS PROVIDED TO ME BY THE PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW, THANKYOU! THIS DOESN'T EFFECT MY OPINION IN ANY WAY
2/5 stars
When I read the synopsis for Beautiful Girl I thought it was going to be some coming of age contemporary story about a girl who has to realize that being beautiful isn't the most important thing in the world. Something sweet, with a good message and possibly some insight into the life of a young actress. I can't say much about what the plot really is without SPOILING EVERYTHING, but I will say that it definitely wasn't what I expected and the book didn't end up being one I enjoyed.
Beautiful Girl's main problem lies with it's length. 150 pages wasn't enough to pull off the story Fleur Philips was trying to tell, and it just ended up seeming rushed and under developed. There is basically no build up to anything, the characters aren't given time to develop or change at all, and the romance is ridiculously rushed. Maybe if you just want a really quick, fast paced read that you can get through in a couple of hours you might enjoy this book, but I just really needed things to be more fleshed out.
One of the things that interested me in the first place was the fact Melanie was a young actress, and I hoped to get some kind of insight into what it would be like to be a teenager in the entertainment in the industry. Honestly, I cared about more than this more than I cared about what was going on in Montana. I wished there had been more scenes showing what Melanie's life was like before the accident, but I still liked that it was incorporated into the book. Another thing I enjoyed was that the book talked about Native American culture, which is something I know literally nothing about and have never read about in YA lit. Again, I wished this aspect had been focused on and developed more, but it was really interesting to read about.
Like I said earlier, the character development in this book is basically non-existent. None of the characters were particularly compelling or unique, and I honestly didn't care about any of them. As for the romance...well, let's just say it was quick. As the synopsis states, the book is set over 36 hours and in that time Sam and Melanie were apparently completely in love and prepared to die for each other. It's just not realistic!
The end of the book got really dramatic really fast, and that wasn't really a good thing. Maybe if the book had been pitched as a thriller I would have been less thrown off, but I honestly wasn't sure what was going on for the last 20%. The story just got really chaotic and I didn't think it was necessary.
It wasn't all bad, though. Beautiful girl did have a good message, and it definitely kept me entertained for the couple of hours I spent reading it. The premise was interesting, it's just a shame that the execution and the length let it down for me.
IN CONCLUSION:
Beautiful Girl has a good message and interesting premise, but unfortunately the short length made it seem rushed and underdeveloped. The story was all over the place, the plot twists mostly seemed unnecessary, and the insta love was ridiculous, so overall I don't really recommend this one.
THIS BOOK WAS PROVIDED TO ME BY THE PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW, THANKYOU! THIS DOESN'T EFFECT MY OPINION IN ANY WAY
2/5 stars
When I read the synopsis for Beautiful Girl I thought it was going to be some coming of age contemporary story about a girl who has to realize that being beautiful isn't the most important thing in the world. Something sweet, with a good message and possibly some insight into the life of a young actress. I can't say much about what the plot really is without SPOILING EVERYTHING, but I will say that it definitely wasn't what I expected and the book didn't end up being one I enjoyed.
Beautiful Girl's main problem lies with it's length. 150 pages wasn't enough to pull off the story Fleur Philips was trying to tell, and it just ended up seeming rushed and under developed. There is basically no build up to anything, the characters aren't given time to develop or change at all, and the romance is ridiculously rushed. Maybe if you just want a really quick, fast paced read that you can get through in a couple of hours you might enjoy this book, but I just really needed things to be more fleshed out.
One of the things that interested me in the first place was the fact Melanie was a young actress, and I hoped to get some kind of insight into what it would be like to be a teenager in the entertainment in the industry. Honestly, I cared about more than this more than I cared about what was going on in Montana. I wished there had been more scenes showing what Melanie's life was like before the accident, but I still liked that it was incorporated into the book. Another thing I enjoyed was that the book talked about Native American culture, which is something I know literally nothing about and have never read about in YA lit. Again, I wished this aspect had been focused on and developed more, but it was really interesting to read about.
Like I said earlier, the character development in this book is basically non-existent. None of the characters were particularly compelling or unique, and I honestly didn't care about any of them. As for the romance...well, let's just say it was quick. As the synopsis states, the book is set over 36 hours and in that time Sam and Melanie were apparently completely in love and prepared to die for each other. It's just not realistic!
The end of the book got really dramatic really fast, and that wasn't really a good thing. Maybe if the book had been pitched as a thriller I would have been less thrown off, but I honestly wasn't sure what was going on for the last 20%. The story just got really chaotic and I didn't think it was necessary.
It wasn't all bad, though. Beautiful girl did have a good message, and it definitely kept me entertained for the couple of hours I spent reading it. The premise was interesting, it's just a shame that the execution and the length let it down for me.
IN CONCLUSION:
Beautiful Girl has a good message and interesting premise, but unfortunately the short length made it seem rushed and underdeveloped. The story was all over the place, the plot twists mostly seemed unnecessary, and the insta love was ridiculous, so overall I don't really recommend this one.
July 31, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the Summer Reading Challenge for Stephanie's Book Reports.
I was so excited after reading the synopsis for Beautiful Girl. Then even more so when I found out it was written for grade 9 and up. I've got a thirteen year old daughter who if she came home and said Mom I read the best book ever I swear I'd cry. Big ole tears of joy because she hates to read. Granted she is going into the eight grade and not ninth but I had some major hope that I'd found a book that my baby would actually like......ummm NO!! My dreams where dashed a hundred and fifty pages and one closed copy of Beautiful Girl later.
Beautiful Girl is about Melanie and she's beautiful and models/acts. Then a terrible car accident causes her face to be cut terribly. Her Mom whisks her off to Montana to hide her from being seen till she can get her facial surgery. The following is straight off the back of the book and had me so excited to read this story. "Melanie meets Sam, a Young a Native American who is nothing like the Hollywood boys Melanie knows. What transpires over a mere thirty hours after Sam and Melaine meet changes both their lives in ways they never thought possible."
This novel takes off and we meet Melanie with her best friend Clarissa and the dreamy Decker Bail. The Decker she never called and her great friend Clarissa steals in like two hot minutes. Leaving the mall upset she runs a red light while grabbing her cell phone and it's goodbye face of a model. We meet her mom at the hospital and I'm telling you this woman is stone cold, just awful to her daughter. I can't stand the woman and her stepfather is spineless and just sits back and let's mom run the show. All this and not even two chapters in. I'm telling you this book flies. Being the lovely mom she is, Joanne refuses to let anyone see Melanie's face and won't even look her in the eye herself. Off to Montana we go and to Sam and this needy insta-love that makes love at first sight feel like it's being done on slow motion. One tiny conversation and Melaine is out of the rental house going with him and the sanity began. I'm so non spoiler I'm not going to talk about the insanity.
I wanted to love this book. It's a book you read the back of and just know you've found a read your gonna love. There really is no development of the characters at all. Mom is horrible and the stepdad is spineless. Someone help this poor girl. If I was Melanie I'd have run away in a heartbeat. I wanted to like someone in this book and it just didn't happen. If you want me to like your book it's helps if you make me like someone in it. Please make me like someone!! Alas it never happened and this moms dream of holding in her hand the book her daughter might love went down the drain in a hurry.
I was so excited after reading the synopsis for Beautiful Girl. Then even more so when I found out it was written for grade 9 and up. I've got a thirteen year old daughter who if she came home and said Mom I read the best book ever I swear I'd cry. Big ole tears of joy because she hates to read. Granted she is going into the eight grade and not ninth but I had some major hope that I'd found a book that my baby would actually like......ummm NO!! My dreams where dashed a hundred and fifty pages and one closed copy of Beautiful Girl later.
Beautiful Girl is about Melanie and she's beautiful and models/acts. Then a terrible car accident causes her face to be cut terribly. Her Mom whisks her off to Montana to hide her from being seen till she can get her facial surgery. The following is straight off the back of the book and had me so excited to read this story. "Melanie meets Sam, a Young a Native American who is nothing like the Hollywood boys Melanie knows. What transpires over a mere thirty hours after Sam and Melaine meet changes both their lives in ways they never thought possible."
This novel takes off and we meet Melanie with her best friend Clarissa and the dreamy Decker Bail. The Decker she never called and her great friend Clarissa steals in like two hot minutes. Leaving the mall upset she runs a red light while grabbing her cell phone and it's goodbye face of a model. We meet her mom at the hospital and I'm telling you this woman is stone cold, just awful to her daughter. I can't stand the woman and her stepfather is spineless and just sits back and let's mom run the show. All this and not even two chapters in. I'm telling you this book flies. Being the lovely mom she is, Joanne refuses to let anyone see Melanie's face and won't even look her in the eye herself. Off to Montana we go and to Sam and this needy insta-love that makes love at first sight feel like it's being done on slow motion. One tiny conversation and Melaine is out of the rental house going with him and the sanity began. I'm so non spoiler I'm not going to talk about the insanity.
I wanted to love this book. It's a book you read the back of and just know you've found a read your gonna love. There really is no development of the characters at all. Mom is horrible and the stepdad is spineless. Someone help this poor girl. If I was Melanie I'd have run away in a heartbeat. I wanted to like someone in this book and it just didn't happen. If you want me to like your book it's helps if you make me like someone in it. Please make me like someone!! Alas it never happened and this moms dream of holding in her hand the book her daughter might love went down the drain in a hurry.
June 9, 2015
My Review: Beautiful Girl had a good premise -- seeing a spoiled and beautiful teenage girl go through the process of self-discovery and self-identity. I love books that empower teen girls and this book had the makings of one that could highlight the process of coming into one's inner strength.
The downfall of this book is the pace. Whoa Nelly! Usually I like a fast paced book but this book was so rushed that not enough time was given to delve deeper into some of the issues (which could have had some great emotional depth to them). Instead they felt too easily resolved and rather weak.
The pace also left little time to connect with Melanie (and other characters) and didn't give them enough time to develop leaving them to feel very one-dimensional. That's not to say that I had no feelings for the main characters. Both Melanie and Sam had horrible childhoods and I felt bad for them but the way that they connected so quickly didn't feel realistic and the book went downhill for me from there.
I'm not a fan of 'Insta-Love' but I do like good romance -- if it's realistic. I have to believe the relationship/issues for me to love a story line or character. I just cannot buy into the idea that Melanie falls in love with a boy she's talked to casually twice. There's also one scene between them later on that came out of left field and felt totally out of character for Melanie. It felt like the scene was added to quickly 'tell' the reader that they had a deep connection. I'm not a fan of the 'tell instead of show' type of writing.
The author added in a semi-decent twist at the end to explain some of the behaviour of one of the characters but I never felt like it was a good enough reason. It felt like a weak and last minute excuse for this person to have treated Melanie so horribly most of her life. I honestly didn't need that character to be redeemed. In fact, it would have been more believable if that person had stayed the same and Melanie's character had developed more. Unfortunately there just wasn't enough character development for any of the characters throughout the book and that was really disappointing.
Overall, this book had some good ideas but suffered with weak character development and an overly rushed pace.
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to SparkPress and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
**This book review can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I share hundreds of book reviews and my favourite recipes. **
The downfall of this book is the pace. Whoa Nelly! Usually I like a fast paced book but this book was so rushed that not enough time was given to delve deeper into some of the issues (which could have had some great emotional depth to them). Instead they felt too easily resolved and rather weak.
The pace also left little time to connect with Melanie (and other characters) and didn't give them enough time to develop leaving them to feel very one-dimensional. That's not to say that I had no feelings for the main characters. Both Melanie and Sam had horrible childhoods and I felt bad for them but the way that they connected so quickly didn't feel realistic and the book went downhill for me from there.
I'm not a fan of 'Insta-Love' but I do like good romance -- if it's realistic. I have to believe the relationship/issues for me to love a story line or character. I just cannot buy into the idea that Melanie falls in love with a boy she's talked to casually twice. There's also one scene between them later on that came out of left field and felt totally out of character for Melanie. It felt like the scene was added to quickly 'tell' the reader that they had a deep connection. I'm not a fan of the 'tell instead of show' type of writing.
The author added in a semi-decent twist at the end to explain some of the behaviour of one of the characters but I never felt like it was a good enough reason. It felt like a weak and last minute excuse for this person to have treated Melanie so horribly most of her life. I honestly didn't need that character to be redeemed. In fact, it would have been more believable if that person had stayed the same and Melanie's character had developed more. Unfortunately there just wasn't enough character development for any of the characters throughout the book and that was really disappointing.
Overall, this book had some good ideas but suffered with weak character development and an overly rushed pace.
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to SparkPress and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
**This book review can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca) where I share hundreds of book reviews and my favourite recipes. **
May 6, 2015
The premise of Beautiful Girl peaked my interest and I was really looking forward to the story that it hinted at, a girl learning about inner beauty and gaining personal strength from it, but unfortunately it fell short of the mark for me.
Melanie, the main character and narrator of the story, felt very one dimensional to me and I just couldn’t connect with her. The situation she was in sucked, I can’t deny that, but I just couldn’t find a spark in her that made her all that interesting as a person and didn’t really see too much of a change between the Melanie we meet in the beginning of the story and the one at the end of the story. Sam was likeable enough, but fell into the same category as Melanie. The relationship that forms between Melanie and Sam is, for lack of a better word, sudden and the insta love that comes out of it had me scratching my head. I don’t typically have an issue with insta-love, but in this case it just didn’t work for me and felt forced. The rest of the characters had me feeling much the same way, but the one character that I did find interesting and added some sparks of life to the story was Joe, Sam’s father. He had something of a stereotypical in the story, but I liked what he brought to the table.
The story moves quickly and a lot happens but it felt choppy, like the pieces just didn’t fit right together. There were parts that started and ended abruptly and all I could think was: That’s it? Especially when it came to the moments, which there were quite a few, that were set up to be highly emotional. I’m not one that likes it when things are drawn out for drama’s sake, but there could have been a little more meat to some of the moments to garner more of an emotional punch.
Overall: I really wanted to like Beautiful Girl, and the potential for it be a good story is there, it just unfortunately wasn’t for me.
~ ARC received from SparkPress via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~
Melanie, the main character and narrator of the story, felt very one dimensional to me and I just couldn’t connect with her. The situation she was in sucked, I can’t deny that, but I just couldn’t find a spark in her that made her all that interesting as a person and didn’t really see too much of a change between the Melanie we meet in the beginning of the story and the one at the end of the story. Sam was likeable enough, but fell into the same category as Melanie. The relationship that forms between Melanie and Sam is, for lack of a better word, sudden and the insta love that comes out of it had me scratching my head. I don’t typically have an issue with insta-love, but in this case it just didn’t work for me and felt forced. The rest of the characters had me feeling much the same way, but the one character that I did find interesting and added some sparks of life to the story was Joe, Sam’s father. He had something of a stereotypical in the story, but I liked what he brought to the table.
The story moves quickly and a lot happens but it felt choppy, like the pieces just didn’t fit right together. There were parts that started and ended abruptly and all I could think was: That’s it? Especially when it came to the moments, which there were quite a few, that were set up to be highly emotional. I’m not one that likes it when things are drawn out for drama’s sake, but there could have been a little more meat to some of the moments to garner more of an emotional punch.
Overall: I really wanted to like Beautiful Girl, and the potential for it be a good story is there, it just unfortunately wasn’t for me.
~ ARC received from SparkPress via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~
June 4, 2015
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Melanie's beauty is a commodity that her mother trades in the world of acting and modeling. When Melanie's face is badly scarred in a car accident, she thinks it might be her chance to be normal, but her mom is determined to get her back on the market and insists she hide out until she can have the plastic surgery that will restore her beauty. But hiding out gives Melanie the opportunity to meet Sam, the Native American lawn worker who will set her on a path that will change everything. While the idea behind this story was appealing, the problem was the execution. The book was paced too quickly to realistically develop a meaningful relationship between Melanie and Sam, and despite the author's attempts to explain the love at first sight, it just didn't ring true. The pacing was too fast for the events surrounding Kurt and Melanie's mom as well. The setup for the affair was reasonable and I was okay with that, but the ensuing madness was out of left field and felt like a desperate attempt to get rid of a troublesome character and to exonerate her bad behavior at the same time. Melanie was a nice enough character and I was sympathetic to many of her decisions, but when she hooked up with Sam almost immediately, I was disappointed. Sam was a little too one dimensional, which isn't really a problem, but giving him such an interesting heritage and then doing little with it was a lost opportunity. Overall, I though the prose read professionally and flowed well. I particularly enjoyed the myth that Sam's dad shared with Melanie, and I would have liked more along those lines. I think I would have really enjoyed the book if the timeline had been decompressed enough that the events happened in a more natural and believable way, and I think my high school students would feel the same way.
November 8, 2015
Having read some of the less flattering reviews for 'Beautiful Girl' by Fleur Philips, I approached this book with great interest and a few pre-conceived ideas - and I actually enjoyed it very much.
Melanie's life is controlled by her mother Joanne; she models, she acts, she auditions in the midst of celebrity central, Los Angeles in USA. Melanie's life is insular, shallow and false - and she knows it and I as the reader, certainly felt it.
When a car accident causes long term scarring to her face, Melanie's mother decides that they should both hideaway until plastic surgery can repair the damage and restore Melanie to her former beauty. Melanie however has other plans, and sees an opportunity for escape during her period of exile from a life she finds unfulfillling.
Desperate people do desperate things and when Sam comes on the scene and they 'connect', Melanie acts rashly and sets off a series of events that end in violence.
This isn't a particularly long or complicated story, but I feel that Fleur Philips does succeed in showing how false and unsustainable Melanie's previous life was.
Sam and Melanie's romance does develop rapidly, but Melanie is looking for an escape - and Sam provides that. Her actions are rash, but then her mental state is unstable. And hasn't anyone ever heard of love at first sight? Fortunately for Melanie, Sam is a decent upstanding young man rather than a psychopathic killer - but if that were the case then this would have been a different story anyway!
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
#SRC2015
Melanie's life is controlled by her mother Joanne; she models, she acts, she auditions in the midst of celebrity central, Los Angeles in USA. Melanie's life is insular, shallow and false - and she knows it and I as the reader, certainly felt it.
When a car accident causes long term scarring to her face, Melanie's mother decides that they should both hideaway until plastic surgery can repair the damage and restore Melanie to her former beauty. Melanie however has other plans, and sees an opportunity for escape during her period of exile from a life she finds unfulfillling.
Desperate people do desperate things and when Sam comes on the scene and they 'connect', Melanie acts rashly and sets off a series of events that end in violence.
This isn't a particularly long or complicated story, but I feel that Fleur Philips does succeed in showing how false and unsustainable Melanie's previous life was.
Sam and Melanie's romance does develop rapidly, but Melanie is looking for an escape - and Sam provides that. Her actions are rash, but then her mental state is unstable. And hasn't anyone ever heard of love at first sight? Fortunately for Melanie, Sam is a decent upstanding young man rather than a psychopathic killer - but if that were the case then this would have been a different story anyway!
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
#SRC2015
April 2, 2015
When I read the synopsis of Beautiful Girl I thought it sounded so, so interesting. I was curious what event transpired that would change both Melanie and Sam's lives, but I'm getting ahead of myself. The novel starts, quite abruptly, with Melanie and a friend out and about in LA, when Melanie leaves (because her friend is a jerk) and ends up in a car wreck which leaves her with facial scars. Surgery is planned for later that summer, but until that happens, Melanie's Momager Mom wants her out of the spotlight, so they head to Montana, which is where Melanie meets Sam and a whole load of stuff goes down that literally blew my mind.
Honestly? I felt the book was rushed. I liked the idea, I liked that Melanie had to get over the fact she wasn't beautiful any more, when beauty was all she knew, and I liked Sam. But the whole insta-love thing was insane. Literally after one conversation, Melanie was high-tailing it out of the rental house to go with him and what followed was just insane. It was too much. TOO MUCH HAPPENED. It wasn't believable enough for me.
You have to read it to believe it, and sadly, I didn't believe it. I didn't understand why Sam and Melanie felt so close, so quick; or what the deal was with Melanie's mom who was a horror and no amount of what transpired changed that opinion for me; she puts Kris Jenner to shame.
This just wasn't the read for me, which was a shame, wanted to love it, but I just didn't.
Honestly? I felt the book was rushed. I liked the idea, I liked that Melanie had to get over the fact she wasn't beautiful any more, when beauty was all she knew, and I liked Sam. But the whole insta-love thing was insane. Literally after one conversation, Melanie was high-tailing it out of the rental house to go with him and what followed was just insane. It was too much. TOO MUCH HAPPENED. It wasn't believable enough for me.
You have to read it to believe it, and sadly, I didn't believe it. I didn't understand why Sam and Melanie felt so close, so quick; or what the deal was with Melanie's mom who was a horror and no amount of what transpired changed that opinion for me; she puts Kris Jenner to shame.
This just wasn't the read for me, which was a shame, wanted to love it, but I just didn't.
December 31, 2015
From Lilac Wolf and Stuff
**I was sent an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review**
Melanie is 17 years old, but has already lived a full career in the modeling/acting world of Los Angeles. Her mother has been dragging her to auditions and jobs since she was 4 years old. Her mother had her own aspirations, until she became a single mother. She passed, or forced, those dreams onto her daughter. Melanie doesn't have the guts to stand up to her mother, but she hates it. She hates the fake friends, the teenage life she has given up.
One day, driving home from visiting her only friend (who isn't much of a friend, btw), she gets in an accident. Her face is ruined. Melanie isn't sure how she feels about it. Her mother acts like she can't be seen, which just makes her feel worse. Plastic surgery is scheduled, and in the meantime they hide away in Montana.
And this is really where Melanie's life changes. She meets a boy and falls in love. Things come to a head with her mother. Melanie will never go back to the way things were before.
This book was very fast paced and hard to put down. The romance was so sweet, innocent. The stories within the story.
I was at a wedding reception when I finished this, and I had a bit of a book hangover. lol
**I was sent an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review**
Melanie is 17 years old, but has already lived a full career in the modeling/acting world of Los Angeles. Her mother has been dragging her to auditions and jobs since she was 4 years old. Her mother had her own aspirations, until she became a single mother. She passed, or forced, those dreams onto her daughter. Melanie doesn't have the guts to stand up to her mother, but she hates it. She hates the fake friends, the teenage life she has given up.
One day, driving home from visiting her only friend (who isn't much of a friend, btw), she gets in an accident. Her face is ruined. Melanie isn't sure how she feels about it. Her mother acts like she can't be seen, which just makes her feel worse. Plastic surgery is scheduled, and in the meantime they hide away in Montana.
And this is really where Melanie's life changes. She meets a boy and falls in love. Things come to a head with her mother. Melanie will never go back to the way things were before.
This book was very fast paced and hard to put down. The romance was so sweet, innocent. The stories within the story.
I was at a wedding reception when I finished this, and I had a bit of a book hangover. lol
August 3, 2015
Thank you to BookSparks and the Summer Reading Challenge for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I ended up reading this book in a day while I was relaxing on the beach, but don't let the pace of my reading lead you to believe I devoured this book because I couldn't get enough.
The synopsis led me to believe that Beautiful Girl would be a "find the beauty from within" type of book. It started off that way. However, once Melanie, the beautiful teenager disfigured by a horrific car accident, leaves Hollywood to heal in Montana, the story loses all focus. There is a whirlwind love story and a psychotic hostage situation which somehow answers all of the unanswered questions Melanie had about her life and her mom. It was super fast paced with all loose ends being tied up in unconventional ways.
The writing was simple and the story was short. There was so much potential to add character development, but it missed the mark. I would characterize this as more of a long, short story. The introduction of a moral lesson was there, but I don't know that one was actually learned. I would list this as one of my favorite for the summers. I do appreciate it though because I haven't been able to say that I read a book in one day in a LONG TIME.
I ended up reading this book in a day while I was relaxing on the beach, but don't let the pace of my reading lead you to believe I devoured this book because I couldn't get enough.
The synopsis led me to believe that Beautiful Girl would be a "find the beauty from within" type of book. It started off that way. However, once Melanie, the beautiful teenager disfigured by a horrific car accident, leaves Hollywood to heal in Montana, the story loses all focus. There is a whirlwind love story and a psychotic hostage situation which somehow answers all of the unanswered questions Melanie had about her life and her mom. It was super fast paced with all loose ends being tied up in unconventional ways.
The writing was simple and the story was short. There was so much potential to add character development, but it missed the mark. I would characterize this as more of a long, short story. The introduction of a moral lesson was there, but I don't know that one was actually learned. I would list this as one of my favorite for the summers. I do appreciate it though because I haven't been able to say that I read a book in one day in a LONG TIME.
April 10, 2015
Originally posted here: http://thereadingwonderland.blogspot....
My first impression on finishing this book was "wow, that was over quickly" and with this book that's not necessarily a good thing. I felt like a lot of things were crammed into a relatively short book (depending on reading speed and spare time of course) and it was all a bit overwhelming - in a bad way. While I like fast paced books, this was too fast, so much so that I'm left not quite knowing what went on.
I would have liked to have seen more character development, not just the generic love at first sight thing that is so often seen in YA books. I feel like I've come away knowing barely anything about any of the characters, which, even though they really weren't, has made them seem quite bland.
I liked the premise of this book, the plot was good, the writing wasn't too bad, it was just that it felt rushed.
I rated this book 2 stars on Goodreads.
This book was given to me in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own and are in no way affected by the author or publishers.
My first impression on finishing this book was "wow, that was over quickly" and with this book that's not necessarily a good thing. I felt like a lot of things were crammed into a relatively short book (depending on reading speed and spare time of course) and it was all a bit overwhelming - in a bad way. While I like fast paced books, this was too fast, so much so that I'm left not quite knowing what went on.
I would have liked to have seen more character development, not just the generic love at first sight thing that is so often seen in YA books. I feel like I've come away knowing barely anything about any of the characters, which, even though they really weren't, has made them seem quite bland.
I liked the premise of this book, the plot was good, the writing wasn't too bad, it was just that it felt rushed.
I rated this book 2 stars on Goodreads.
This book was given to me in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own and are in no way affected by the author or publishers.
January 16, 2017
I should have listened to myself when I was 39 pages in and wanted to stop. But no, I only had 140 pages to go, and damn it, it had to be better than sitting bored in the ER waiting room.
I should have just fallen asleep in the waiting room.
Holy crap.
This really wasn't my thing. I couldn't connect with Melanie who was only concerned about her face, and fell into insta-love and warm tinglies with a boy she met only twice. Not only that she ran away from him. Throw in a mother who is emotionally abusive, and turns physically abusive, focus only on physical characteristics and value, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, racial issues, ongoing forced sexual relationship, murder, suicidal tenancies, Native American mysticism, dead family members, and the fact that the bulk of this book TAKES PLACE OVER 30 HOURS. NOT EVEN TWO DAYS. 30 HOURS.
Which of course leaves everything rushed, everyone sparkly and me shaking my head wondering what I got myself into.
I disliked this book. But don't let that stop you from reading it if it seems like something you'd enjoy.
I should have just fallen asleep in the waiting room.
Holy crap.
This really wasn't my thing. I couldn't connect with Melanie who was only concerned about her face, and fell into insta-love and warm tinglies with a boy she met only twice. Not only that she ran away from him. Throw in a mother who is emotionally abusive, and turns physically abusive, focus only on physical characteristics and value, drug addiction, alcohol abuse, racial issues, ongoing forced sexual relationship, murder, suicidal tenancies, Native American mysticism, dead family members, and the fact that the bulk of this book TAKES PLACE OVER 30 HOURS. NOT EVEN TWO DAYS. 30 HOURS.
Which of course leaves everything rushed, everyone sparkly and me shaking my head wondering what I got myself into.
I disliked this book. But don't let that stop you from reading it if it seems like something you'd enjoy.
August 2, 2015
I was disappointed by this book. I expected a story of a young girl who learned that beauty comes from within, but I didn't find that at all. Melanie started out as a spoiled little rich girl. After a car accident, she is TEMPORARILY disfigured, and her mother sends off to Montana to be hidden from the world.
In Montana, she meets Sam, and after two conversations with this total stranger, she is head over heels in love with him--and the previously "life-altering" injury was seemingly forgotten. And at the second meeting, this virgin teen who has never even dated gets naked with Sam, after running away with him--what was that?
Part of the problem with this book might have been that it was so short. With only 150 pages, much of the plot was rushed, where in a longer story it could all have been played out better.
I received a copy of this book from Booksparks in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
In Montana, she meets Sam, and after two conversations with this total stranger, she is head over heels in love with him--and the previously "life-altering" injury was seemingly forgotten. And at the second meeting, this virgin teen who has never even dated gets naked with Sam, after running away with him--what was that?
Part of the problem with this book might have been that it was so short. With only 150 pages, much of the plot was rushed, where in a longer story it could all have been played out better.
I received a copy of this book from Booksparks in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
August 18, 2015
This book is heart breaking and life mending for the main character, Melanie. It's a quick read; I needed to turn the pages to find out what was going to happen in Melanie's future.
Ms. Phillips writes with an ease of words not often found. Her main characters have their flaws exposed and she gives plenty of exposure to her secondary characters.
There is some violence and sex in this book. I am letting my fourteen year old twin daughters read it, but they have a very mature reading level. One of my twins gave me her feedback and it was "two thumbs up" from her. She is an intense reader and when she reached the climax she gave me "the look" which told me she was happy with the turn the book took.
I was given a copy of this book by Book Sparks as part of their Summer Reading Challenge in exchange for my honest review.
Ms. Phillips writes with an ease of words not often found. Her main characters have their flaws exposed and she gives plenty of exposure to her secondary characters.
There is some violence and sex in this book. I am letting my fourteen year old twin daughters read it, but they have a very mature reading level. One of my twins gave me her feedback and it was "two thumbs up" from her. She is an intense reader and when she reached the climax she gave me "the look" which told me she was happy with the turn the book took.
I was given a copy of this book by Book Sparks as part of their Summer Reading Challenge in exchange for my honest review.
September 7, 2015
check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
Melanie Kennicut has been going to auditions and landing roles for a very long time. At this point she isn't sure whether her mom loves this more than she does and if she wants to do this job much longer. A twist of fate and/or car accident disfigure her and her mom decides to take her out of Hollywood to heal before she can have surgery to fix her injuries.
I hear many readers talk about instalove, but I hadn't really read a book with it, but this one does. Melanie goes on one date and her and a boy are "madly" in love after. It felt WAY too quick for me and I wish they had a few more moments before they were professing their love to each other.
Melanie Kennicut has been going to auditions and landing roles for a very long time. At this point she isn't sure whether her mom loves this more than she does and if she wants to do this job much longer. A twist of fate and/or car accident disfigure her and her mom decides to take her out of Hollywood to heal before she can have surgery to fix her injuries.
I hear many readers talk about instalove, but I hadn't really read a book with it, but this one does. Melanie goes on one date and her and a boy are "madly" in love after. It felt WAY too quick for me and I wish they had a few more moments before they were professing their love to each other.
May 7, 2015
Melanie Kennicut is a beautiful actress and a model. Her family and her life revolves around her career. Pushed by her eager mother into modeling, Melanie questions her choices and wishes for more. And then the accident happens.
This is a story most YA readers can identify with. It is the story of searching for identity, the story of knowing that who you are is not what others see, and the story of family relationships and how twisted they can be. I found the novel to be extremely fast-paced. So much so that at times, I questioned the believability of the characters and story. But at the same time, I was hooked and couldn't stop reading until I finished this exciting story.
This is a story most YA readers can identify with. It is the story of searching for identity, the story of knowing that who you are is not what others see, and the story of family relationships and how twisted they can be. I found the novel to be extremely fast-paced. So much so that at times, I questioned the believability of the characters and story. But at the same time, I was hooked and couldn't stop reading until I finished this exciting story.
June 19, 2015
This book started out great but then seemed too predictable. I did like the message it sends that beauty comes from within and not from what we look like on the outside.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
October 26, 2015
I actually liked this book and the surprise ending. It's about a girl trying to find out who she is. I think readers will be able to identify with her because we are all searching for our place in this world.
June 9, 2015
You can check my review of here: http://diariesofabooklover.blogspot.c...
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews