James, Rebecca: Beautiful Malice

[calico_reaction]

Comments

[aliciaaudrey]

The messages we send readers or viewers with Inappropriate Pregnancies is one I've thought about quite a bit

[calico_reaction]

In this case, the HEA sort of comes from the fact that the daddy-to-be is ridiculously mature and willing to stick around and he's already decided the narrator is the woman of his dreams. Her parents are more accepting because they've already lost one daughter, so having their remaining daughter bring new life in the world is something they can get behind.

As far as birth control, the narrator talks about how they used it sometimes and sometimes didn't, so I think that's accurate. They also made a point of NOT seeing each other while the narrator was wrapping up finals and high school graduation. College did get put off, but you learn that in the future timeline, not the present, but the narrator is finally at a point where she can pick up where she left off.

I don't know. I think my biggest problem is how quickly Katherine fell into bed with Mick, and then just how easy things were working out (if, of course, Mick hadn't DIED).

An aside, I love Juno for its lack of judgment. It just shows a story, and I don't consider any of it

[aliciaaudrey]

I really like Juno and I think it deals with the subject of teen pregnancy better than most works. I'm not picking on it. It's just a subject of a film that doesn't work if she doesn't go through with the pregnancy. If Juno has an abortion, there is no movie.

My mother had my brothers despite having severe endometrosis. Her doctors told her she was lucky she'd managed to carry me, much less . But I was thinking more "absent uterus."

[aliciaaudrey]

"much less twins." was what I meant to say.

[anonymous]

Hi Shara - This is one of those books that became increasingly uncomfortable to read, and yet, it was also impossible to put down. When I reached the "big revelation" I had to walk away from it for a while; despite my overactive imagination what ended up happening was quite horrible and disturbing.

It's incredibly dark for a YA, and I do have problems if a thirteen-year-old reader were to pick it up.

It sounds like the relationship with Mick was too much of a good thing for you to stomach, and I might agree with you if the author had given her heroine a HEA ending, but she did not. In fact, I knew it wouldn't end happy, because things with Mick were too good.

Yes, I also suspect that Alice used her last bit of life to pull Mick down too. I like how the reader can infer what they like from that moment.

[calico_reaction]

Would you say, though, that this is a YA geared towards 13? I was thinking 16 and up, but I don't know how the publisher actually wants it marketed.

And you're right about Mick: if the author had given Katherine an HEA, it would've been more difficult to stomach. So it's good, from a fictional standpoint, that Katherine was able to experience happiness between her life going to hell (Rachel) and her life going to hell (loosing Mick).

And yes...drowning people are quite difficult to save, aren't they? Even in a normal situation, they panic and tend to overwhelm the rescuer. I could easily see Alice pulling him under.

Thanks for letting me read this, Rebecca! Overall, I am happy with it, despite my nitpicks in the review. :)

[rebecca_at_dsb]

Hi Shara - Oh no, I don't think this story is marketed toward younger YA readers, but what's to stop them from picking it up? I mean, when I go to a bookstore, there's one big YA section nowadays, and I find myself wondering how readers from the younger to the older spectrum find the right books? This is one of those examples that shouldn't fall into the hands of a tween reader. Heck, I think it's disturbing and I'm an old woman!

[calico_reaction]

You're right about there's really nothing within YA that distinguishes it for the older reader versus the younger reader. I guess that's partially where parents come in, you know?

Hey, you're a parent! Have you ever posted your thoughts on how involved parents should be in their childrens' reading selections? I know what I think I'd like to do, but I'm not a parent yet, and I may feel differently if/when the time comes.

[inr_ainbows]

I wonder if this book was put into the YA section only in the US? I work at a book store (Chapters, which is the biggest book store chain in Canada) and this book is put in the General Fiction section of our store (it also sports a different cover.) From the comments, this title seems really dark, so I'm not surprised we don't have it in our YA section, but I'm a little disappointed at the same time that we'd keep it away from teen readers if that was the intended audience the author was writing for. :/

[calico_reaction]

I can't say. The book was originally published in Australia, and I don't know if it was marketed as YA there or not. I just know it was a huge hit.

[anonymous]

everyone is saying you shouldn't read this if you 13 but my friend and I are both 13 and my friend has finished reading this book and i'm in the middle of reading and we both really adore this book.

[calico_reaction]

Glad to hear it! I think those of us who are adults really wonder about age-appropriateness, even though when WE were 13 and whatnot, we were reading books that were probably not age-appropriate but still fine with.

[denelian]

FINALLY got my read copy. i actually wrote a REAL REVIEW [just for you lol] http://denelian.livejournal.com/222295.html... )

[calico_reaction]

Thanks for the link, I'll go take a look!

I'm really glad this book worked for you! I was wondering where the ARC would end up going since not many of my usual readers had heard of this book!