1.5 STARS

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you to the blog tour organiser, the publisher, NetGalley and the author for letting me take part and for providing me with a free copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

The first thing I have to say about this book is there are a lot of trigger warnings for it and a lot of scenes get really vivid and graphic. If you want to find out what all the currently updated TWs are for this book, you can find the full list here: https://booktriggerwarnings.com/index.php?title=What_Beauty_There_Is_by_Cory_Anderson#Trigger_Warnings

I spent the weekend reading this book, and unfortunately, I just don't think it was the book for me, and I don't think I was the intended audience. There were times where the writing style got good and I actually thought things were getting better, but then it just didn't grab me again. There are some beautiful sentences in this book, but I felt that the writing style and narrative voice were both very jarring and I really struggled with both.

I didn't understand what was happening most of the time and the way it finished left me with a lot of questions and uncertainties. I couldn't identify to the characters and I just really could not get into this book, unfortunately, but that's not to say that you won't, as I know a lot of other readers have been enjoying it. I tried to love it and it just didn't work for me sadly.

Make sure to check the trigger warnings out before you pick up this book, as they start on early in the book and just keep coming.

Sometimes, a special book comes along that takes you completely by surprise, you don't expect much from it but it ends up blowing your socks off. This was one of those books. I didn't really know what to expect from the blurb, but what I got was a raw, gritty tale that kept me hooked from start to finish. Whilst they are not inherently similar, the book gave me Winter's Bone vibes with its bleak story and wintery setting.

You can't help but experience heart break from Jack and Matty. They are ordinary boys with a strong bond that has developed due to shared childhood trauma. With a dad in prison, and a mum who has developed a drug habit as a result, Jack is forced to grow up quickly. I felt so badly for him, but admired so much his strength and the way he was able to put Matty's needs first throughout the whole book.

The writing is what really sucked me in to the book. A slightly unusual style at times, but it really clicked with me. I really enjoyed the various narratives that were running alongside Jack's, it helped the story slowly gain pace and kept me on the edge of the seats. There is a genuine sense of peril pretty much from the word go, the writing leaving a sense of unease and constant danger.

A really interesting read, that beautifully highlights how quickly life can spiral out of control. Recommend.

Jack Dahl is a teenager who has had to deal with more than his fair share of tragedy and loss, and certainly more than anyone of his age should have to endure. His father is in prison, and his mother is unable to cope with the situation she finds herself in, and makes the devastating decision to leave Jack and his younger brother Matty to fend for themselves. Jack knows that if he wants to stay with his brother, he has some serious decisions to make – some of which are incredibly dangerous.

Jack’s actions leave both of their lives in danger, but is unable to see any other path open to them, and the thought of them being separated is unbearable. Whilst making these difficult choices, they meet Ava – a new girl at their school that has her own secrets and burdens to bare.

This is such an incredibly moving story that really draws you in from the very first first page. You can feel the sadness that the characters are experiencing deeply, and it allows you to connect with them all from the start. As we follow their journey, the decisions that Jack makes seem somewhat irrational. But the more we learn about him and their troubled past, you begin to understand why he feels the need to make such dangerous choices.

Jack and Ava are a wonderful pairing in this story. Despite their situations initially seeming worlds apart, they are drawn together time and time again. You really get the sense that Ava knows far more about Jack and his past than he does about her from their first meeting, but as we come to learn more about her life, your heart really goes out to this character.

This story portrays so many powerful, moving messages throughout. From loss, to love, alongside friendships and of course the neglect and the ways in which children can find themselves slipping through the fingers of the system when it comes to their own safety. Despite all of this though, the story does carry an overriding sense of hope throughout as each of the characters grow as individuals.

Beautifully written, emotionally driven and compelling to the end, this is a remarkable story that will stay with me for a very long time.

This book is like a wolf in sheep clothing, a classic, I didn’t expect that. It has rendered me speechless; I am so glad that I did request it and read it as I ended up loving it.
The writing is amazing and I really felt I was there with the characters and that it was those characters that kept me racing though the pages and I finished this in less than 24 hours. I was so invested in the characters that I was sad when I came to the end, but I have subsequently discovered that this is the first book of a series – I will definitely be looking out for the next book.
I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a unique YA read that is not the usual epic fantasy.
I would like to thank Penguin Random House and Netgalley for an advance review copy of What beauty there is in return for an honest review.

I'll be honest, I don't often read YA these days as I am ever so slightly (very, very) over the target age ranges for these books. That is not to say that there is not beauty and honesty hidden within the pages of a good YA book, and if you are looking for that beauty, that blend of tragic inevitability, melancholy and atmosphere, then you really do need to pick this book up. From the. very first page I felt compelled to read onward, to discover the ultimate fate of Jack and his brother, Matty, and it was with almost breathless anticipation that I reached the end, totally moved and thoroughly satisfied. This for me had echoes of We Begin At The End, and although the central characters of Jack and Ava are older, their circumstances slightly different, they are no less tragic or poignant, all of which is captures perfectly on. the page.

This is, essentially, the story of Jack Dahl, a teenager exposed to far more tragedy and loss than anyone his age should have to deal with. His father is in prison and his mother makes a most tragic of decisions leaving Jack and his younger brother, Matty, to fend for themselves. Jack knows that in order to survive, in order to stay together, he has to make some very mature, and very dangerous, decisions and take decisive action to keep them both safe. His actions leave his and Matty's lives in real danger but the alternative is no more palatable. They also bring the pair right into the sphere of Ava, anew girl at Jack's school, and someone who is nursing her own secrets and tragedy.

From the very beginning of the book you can feel the sadness seep from the page. There is a sense of tragic acceptance from Jack that belies his years, and almost at once I found myself with real sympathy for him. The decisions he makes may seem rash at first, but as we learn more about his family life, the circumstances in which he lives, and the fierce determination he has to do anything for his younger brother, the more understanding I had about the decisions he made and the more I wanted to see him come good. Cory Anderson has played a brilliant game, taking Jack to the point of despair so many times, pushing readers right to the edge and setting the perfect tone from the off. The overwhelming sense that there can be no real happy ending and yet never yet allowing us to give up hope completely.

Jack and Ava are the perfect pairing. Whilst their personal circumstances at first appear to be very different, there is a definite sense of the kindred spirits about them. some invisible force which pulls them together. It is clear from the start that Ava knows far more about Jack than she does of him, and as her own secrets are revealed I found I was left both stunned but also concerned. There are elements about her own family which give readers cause to pause, and although nothing is every played out on the page, you know that she is very much a bird caught in a gilded cage, no less a victim of her upbringing than Jack and Matty.

The story is infused with tension, threat facing Jack at every turn. With no family and no friends to turn to he is forced to grow up far too soon. The way in which. his character is portrayed is believable and adds a core of strength and determination to what could otherwise be a truly dark novel. And yet it is not. Although there is violence, it is understated, more implied that unnecessarily graphic, and the language and imagery used throughout the book makes it more atmospheric than catastrophic in it's telling. It is a beautiful thing, not just the way it depicts strength in adversity or the flawed and ill-fated sparks of young love, but also the way in which the story develops that sense of sacrifice. Of how far a person might go to protect the person that they love, be. they family or not.

It is a tragedy. It is a love story. It is a story of neglect and of how easily children can slip through the cracks when it comes to their protection. it is a story of family and, against all the odds, it is a story that has a sense of hope. So no, you won't find a classic happy ending here. No happily ever after for all of the key players. But you will find a novel with truly memorable characters, beautifully evocative and atmospheric language and a story that lingers in the mind long after the last page is turned. If this is the author's debut, I am certainly looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. Definitely recommended.

Jack Morton has nothing left. Except for his younger brother, Matty, who he'd do anything for. Even die for. Now with their mother gone, and their funds quickly dwindling, Jack needs to make a choice: lose his brother to foster care, or find the drug money that sent his father to prison. He chooses the money.

This is a very quick-paced and action-packed book with an element of thriller thrown in. The story grabs all of your attention and keeps you hooked. I did not realise this was a YA. or the first book in a series. Do not let the genre of YA put you off, I'm 24 years of and can not begin to explain how enjoyable this was. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

Jack Tate is too young to have to be responsible for his young brother Matty, but that’s what he’s going to do, whatever it takes. Now his mother is gone, Social Services taking notice of them both and money really short, Jack knows he needs to do something to keep them both safe. But at every turn he comes across almost insurmountable problems, a lot of which can traced back to his jailbird father. A man who stole the wrong persons property. He gets help from Ava, a girl with a history of her own, they’re both afraid to trust each other but know they need to.

This is a well written and gripping story of how one teenager tries to take care of his family against greater odds than anyone should have to deal with. Not only that but it’s winter, snowing and so cold. Jacks character shines through this story, his grit and determination makes you will him to succeed, although it hardly seems possible that he can. Ava has her own secrets but is determined to help, a compulsion that drives her. Such a strong, compulsive read and well worth reading.

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A haunting tale, and I was unable to put it down until I had finished the novel. Jack is unable to pay the bills, his money is running out fast. His father is in prison and his mother has killed herself. So what will he do to survive? I will not answer that question or it would spoil the ending. But I would recommend the book. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advance copy of this book to read.