From the Bookshelf of Reading Until Infinity …

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1)

Jamie McGuire

Start date: April 1, 2014

Finish date: May 1, 2014

Discussion: Monthly Read

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Feb 28, 2013 Paula Phillips rated it it was amazing

Have you ever read a book that has actually blown you away and one that in its weird way has left you filled with a variety of emotions and all you can do is scream OMG this was awesome. I have had the Beautiful Disaster sitting on my Kindle for a long time and as people who know me my TBR list is like miles long. When I went down to Wellington for a holiday, I was lucky enough to find on my way to the library which by the way I got so lost - I saw a sign that said "The Bookmark" and I thought t Have you ever read a book that has actually blown you away and one that in its weird way has left you filled with a variety of emotions and all you can do is scream OMG this was awesome. I have had the Beautiful Disaster sitting on my Kindle for a long time and as people who know me my TBR list is like miles long. When I went down to Wellington for a holiday, I was lucky enough to find on my way to the library which by the way I got so lost - I saw a sign that said "The Bookmark" and I thought to myself hmmm , that might be a second-hand bookshop. I walked down the escalator and imagine my delight when I discovered it was a second-hand bookshop filled with floor to ceiling books galore. It was like heaven. Among my finds to my extreme delight and I think I may have squealed a bit too was a paperback copy of Beautiful Disaster - if you wondered why I squealed it was because it is not available for purchase in New Zealand shops. So of course I brought it and started reading it and reader's I can tell you that this is definitely one book that once you pick it up , you honest to god won't be able to put it down as there is something about the characters tat draw you in and leave you gasping for more.

Now this book , I decided to check out the reviews on Goodreads and it has had it's fair share of Onesies and I after reading the book cannot believe it but then it got me thinking that they were so focused on the fact that he was a "so-called violent obsessive boyfriend" that they missed the real essence of the book. See I am one for the Byronic Hero - to me the Byronic Hero symbolises the epitome for the Romantic guy. Think Heathcliff , Edward Cullen , Edward Rochester , Caleb from Captive in the Dark and even Christian Grey. Each of these guys have one thing in common they are all based on the characteristics of the Byronic Hero and Travis Maddox was no different. So he might have been a bit obsessive , have the occasional violent outburst but he would never hurt Abby and he loved her with all his heart , he opened himself up to a side that no-one else had the privilege to see.
Whereas Abby Abernathy, the main female lead I found was to be in a way a strong character - in the way that she is not OTT like Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games but she is strong in spirit and she knows what she wants and is not afraid to stand up for what is right - think America from The Elite series by Kiera Cass crossed with Addy Davidson from First Date by Krista McGee . You could feel yourself relating to Abby as you read the novel and going through the predicament that she had found herself in.

In Beautiful Disaster , without giving too much away we meet main characters Playboy "I sleep with a different girl every night" Travis Maddox and Straight and I'm trying to change my life "Abby Abernathy" . These two meet at a boxing match and from then , their friendship blossoms into something that no-one has seen before and though they try to understand it - they can't. Beautiful Disaster follows these two on their bumpy journey of a love/hate friendship that always holds the possibility to becoming something more but not quite reaching that point ? Will they become a pair by the end of the novel or will Abby and Travis discover that they are better off staying close friends than lovers ?

This is one book that I think everyone should read and as you can tell by the reviews you will either love it or hate it and readers if you did love or find it too your liking then stay tuned and add to your watchlist "Walking Disaster" which is Travis's POV. ...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Ottilie rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I'm not going to lie I really had no idea what I was going to rate this book or what to write for the review. I really liked the beginning of the book and thought I was going to review this book higher, but as I kept reading my feelings towards the book became questionable. I have great admiration towards the author since she was an Indie author who was able to grow to a NY Times seller. I enjoyed the relationship in the beginning and the excitement of the underground fighting. However as the bo ...more

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Jul 14, 2013 Erika B. (SOS BOOKS) rated it liked it

Shelves: spicy, new-adult

Somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 stars...I'm just not sure where I'd put this one! This totally reminded me of Rihanna and Eminem's song Love the Way You Lie. You know, "Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano all I know is I love you too much to walk away now. Come inside pick up your bags off the sidewalk, don't you hear sincerity in my voice when I talk? Told you this is my fault, look me in the eyeball, next time I'm pissed I'll throw my fist at the drywall." Yep, this book and ...more

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Nov 02, 2013 Daisy (AThousandLivesOfDaisy) rated it it was ok

I had a few hours to spare so decided to read this despite having heard positives and negatives. I'm sitting here afterward thinking that was the most batshit crazy thing I've read this year. And I have read some weird stuff.

It wasn't that it was awful and sucked, it had reasonable content. I just can't get over such a volatile, destructive relationship that was. :/ ...more

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Feb 13, 2014 Mary rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: celebrity-billionaire-royalty, contemporary-romance, book-papel, enemies-to-lovers, new-adult, jamie-mcguire, sports, second-chance-love, college

“I know we're fucked up, alright? I'm impulsive, and hot tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else. You act like you hate me one minute, and then need me the next. I never get anything right, and I don't deserve you...but I fucking love you, Abby. I love you more than I loved anyone or anything ever. When you're around, I don't need booze, or money, or the fighting, or the one-night stands...”

Hacía rato que tenía ganas de leer este libro, es más una amiga mía lo empezó a leer y lo ...more

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Aug 16, 2013 Janice rated it it was amazing

I would not even know where to begin this review, I honestly never read a story without some kind of paranormal in it. Well that changed! This book had me at chapter 1. I am helplessly in love with Travis Maddox! It was touch and go I had to put the book down a couple times my emotions was way so connected with the characters. Pidge and Travis both have had crazy past that make them who they are not always right, but always right together. A MUST READ!!

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Jan 15, 2012 Chloe rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, fiction, funny

This book was great for the first half, but then I felt like it kind of dragged on and on and I just wanted to smack Abby so badly for most of the second half. It was a good book with a really cute ending, but it was just a bit blah for me at times. I'd recommend it to someone who really needs a fluffy read though. ...more

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