From the Bookshelf of Baltimore County Public Library Summer Reading BCPL SRC …

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1)

Jamie McGuire

Start date: July 16, 2012

Finish date: July 16, 2012

Why we're reading this: Something about this book. I couldn't put it down. Is it weird that I want that kind of relationship? I w…more
[close] Something about this book. I couldn't put it down. Is it weird that I want that kind of relationship? I will admit it was a little physcho stalkerish but it was passion and love. Read it in about 5 hours a quick read and totally worth it. I was shocked to hear about Abby's past and amazed when she went to Vegas the first time. You hear so many negitive reviews because the guy was a lunatic but honestly most guys out there are. But when it came to Abby Travis changed his lifestyle for the better.

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Jul 31, 2011 A Book Vacation rated it it was ok

I hate to say it, I really do, but this book is, unfortuantely, not for me. Now, I realize that I am in the minority here, because if you look on Goodreads, over 1400 people gave this novel five stars and absolutely loved it, but I’m afraid I"m not one of them. This just goes to show that different people like different things; we all have different tastes, and that’s okay, because it makes us unique. I may love a novel that my best friend absolutely hates, and vice versa, but that doesn’t mean I hate to say it, I really do, but this book is, unfortuantely, not for me. Now, I realize that I am in the minority here, because if you look on Goodreads, over 1400 people gave this novel five stars and absolutely loved it, but I’m afraid I"m not one of them. This just goes to show that different people like different things; we all have different tastes, and that’s okay, because it makes us unique. I may love a novel that my best friend absolutely hates, and vice versa, but that doesn’t mean either of us is wrong, only that we have different likes and dislikes, different opinions. That being said, I really didn’t care for this novel. In fact, it really turned me off, mainly because I know someone just like Travis Maddox, I’ve been in Abby’s shoes, and it’s not a pretty thing—it doesn’t end well. I think I spent a majority of this novel sitting there yelling at Abby to get the heck out of there, and for Travis to get some therapy. I know, it sounds terrible, but Travis is so unhinged, physically destroying things when he doesn’t get his way, that it was nerve-wracking to read about. I felt like Abby was in danger throughout the entire novel, and even though things turn out okay, anyone as needy as Travis is dangerous, in my opinion, especially when alcohol is in the mix.

Abby is trying to outrun her past, but in the end she seems to be right back where she started, making bad decisions and throwing in her lot with someone who I, personally, don’t think is the best person to hang around. Yes, this is fictitious, and McGuire has tailored her story to go a certain way, making it almost fairy tale like in the end, but I felt like it was unrealistic, mostly based on my own personal experiences with my own Travis Maddox, so my bias tainted my reading of this novel. I am not an extreme feminist, by any means, but I am an independent person, and watching Travis control Abby as he does throughout the novel really irked me, again, based on personal experience. But, this doesn't mean I don't like McGuire! McGuire is an extremely talented author, and the fact that she was able to make me feel so strongly about her characters is a testament to her sheer writing abilities. Both Abby and Travis are extremely well written characters and, as I said before, the masses really do love them. My personal issues with the characters don't reflect on McGuire as much as they do my own past, and it won't stop me from reading more of her work either. Yes, I had a difficult time reading this novel, and, therefore, can only give it two stars, but remember it's personal, people. Unless you're just like me, you'll probably really enjoy it.

To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20... ...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Katelyn rated it it was amazing

Ok.. I know where this book got it's title from. Travis and Abby were quite the 'Beautiful Disaster.'
Sure, they both had their fair share of issues.. and, Travis was sort of a stalker at one point.. but, it's a book. And, as a book, I couldn't put it down! I stayed awake WAY later than I should have reading, just to see what was going to happen next.
Sure, there were things that one or the other of them did that were a TAD ridic.. but, it didn't stop me from enjoying the story.
And, I will most c ...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Ellon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own

This. book. is. amazing.

I read it off a recommendation of a friend. The first night I started reading it, I stayed up wayyyyyy too late because I was so into it. Then the whole next day at work, I was pissed off because I wasn't at home reading. When they went to Vegas, my attention wavered a bit (and by wavered, I mean that I was able to reason with myself to understand why I couldn't stay home just to read this book). All day today, I thought about coming home and finally being able to finish ...more

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Jul 02, 2015 Talia Amjad rated it it was amazing

Definatley not something I expected

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Jun 11, 2012 Jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Something about this book. I couldn't put it down. Is it weird that I want that kind of relationship? I will admit it was a little physcho stalkerish but it was passion and love. Read it in about 5 hours a quick read and totally worth it. ...more

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Sep 23, 2013 Devon rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-i-should-read-again, 2014, adaptations-to-watch

I had such huge expectations because it's like number one on all kinda of book lists. It was good but it wasn't as amazing as I thought it was gonna be ...more

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