I stumbled upon 'What Beauty There Is' by Cory Anderson during a late-night reading binge, and it completely wrecked me in the best way possible. This isn’t your typical YA novel—it’s a raw, unflinching look at survival, love, and the lengths people go to protect those they care about. The prose is stark yet poetic, like a winter landscape that’s both beautiful and brutal. Jack and Ava’s story is heartbreaking but also strangely hopeful, and the tension never lets up. The way Anderson weaves themes of poverty and resilience into the narrative made me think about it for days. If you’re into books that leave a mark, this one’s a must-read.
I picked up 'What Beauty There Is' expecting a thriller, but it turned out to be so much more. Cory Anderson crafts a story that’s as much about the human spirit as it is about crime and survival. Jack’s journey to shield his brother from their father’s dangerous world is relentless and deeply moving. The cold, oppressive setting almost feels like a character itself, amplifying the stakes.
What I loved most was how the book balances darkness with moments of unexpected tenderness. Ava’s role as a conflicted ally adds depth, and her relationship with Jack is understated but electric. The pacing is flawless—every chapter leaves you on edge. If you’re looking for a book that’s both thrilling and emotionally rich, this one delivers. It’s a story that lingers, making you question what you’d do in the face of impossible choices.
atmospheric reads, 'What Beauty There Is' by Cory Anderson instantly grabbed me. It’s a gritty, emotionally charged thriller with a heart-wrenching sibling dynamic at its core. Jack’s desperation to protect his younger brother, Matty, is palpable, and the harsh Idaho setting mirrors the bleakness of their circumstances. The writing is razor-sharp, with sentences that cut deep. Anderson doesn’t shy away from depicting the brutality of life, but there’s a glimmer of hope woven throughout that keeps you hooked.
What really stood out to me was the moral ambiguity of the characters. No one is purely good or evil, and their choices feel painfully real. The romance between Jack and Ava is subtle yet powerful, adding another layer of tension. If you enjoyed 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy or 'Winter’s Bone' by Daniel Woodrell, this book will resonate with you. It’s a haunting, unforgettable story about love and survival against all odds.
2025-08-06 02:43:10
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My Dearest Beautiful Cousin
Tori A. de
10
468
She called him at two in the morning, wine-drunk and heartbroken, and told him everything.
That her boyfriend of five years had been lying to her face. That she had built his business with her bare hands and he had been quietly cutting her out of it. That she was done being practical about love and intended to date every beautiful man she could find and she meant it.
She did not mean to tell him he was on the list.
Enoch Wade has been in love with his cousin since he saw her at her 19th birthday party. He has spent six years sending birthday gifts and keeping his distance and being exactly what she needed him to be, safe, reliable and family.
The drunk call ends that strategy entirely.
By morning she has an employment letter, a plane ticket, and three days to start over in London.
What neither of them knows is that the tag that held them apart was never true.
Some lines were meant to be crossed.
some lines were never lines at all.
My Dearest Beautiful Cousin — a forbidden romance
Book One of the BEAUTIFUL SERIES.
After a night of heavy drinking and clubbing with friends in a vacation in L.A, Miranda Rose finds herself waking up completely beside the world famous Satellite Patrol lead vocalist, Hugo Saintclare. She wakes up with no memories on how she ended up having with the handsome crooner. Realizing that she gave up her virginity to the charming vocalist, she felt ashamed of herself for things that she doesn’t know what she could have done with Hugo during their steamy and drunken one night stand.
Out of embarrassment and the blurry details, she tried to push that event out of her head by moving on. She kept everything to herself knowing the global fanbase that the band has and how possessive his fans are when it comes to issues. Miranda didn’t want to ruin Hugo Saintclare’s career and remained silent trying to forget about what happened that sinful night.
Seven years later, fate plays with her and Hugo, they end up meeting each other again by accident. Knowing how things ended when she left his hotel room seven years ago, she was scared of the possible changes this will cause in her life together with Benedict.
Will there be a second chance for something they had, now that they have crossed each other's paths for the second time or will it remain as something that is beautifully unfinished?
"One steamy night full of lust. One mistake never expected."
CONTAINS
BOOK 2 Beautiful Pieces
BOOK 3 Beautiful and Bounded
“The beautiful world embraces you” is a story that is not too dramatic and full of drama. It is simply a love story between two very honest characters. Chan Phong -is a boy who cares deeply about his childhood friend, but an incident occurs that makes him entangled in plots and hatred. An Thu - a girl with a pitiful situation, always living in sadness, she only has a friend, Chan Phong, who has been with her to overcome all childhood sorrows, suddenly when the family separates, it's time. Her best friend left her. With the same pain and hatred, they finally met again at the age of 18, in a new environment but did not recognize each other, hurting each other. Through many trials, will they find each other again? Their love may not be the prettiest, but it is certainly the truest. Trials do not make our love worse but make us stronger and better.
She didn't know, but her eyes captured his attention from the beginning. She didn't know, but her sweet smile almost made him stop breathing. She didn't know that she had been his fascination from the first moment he saw her. She didn't know and left him in despair.
Thea Lark, a hard-working girl looking to retrieve everything that was stolen from her. She was prepared for a long battle alone, but... unexpectedly the one that she didn't think would help her, became her most powerful strength.
"From when did you like me?" Thea asked the handsome man resting on her lap.
"I don't know," he dared to say making her frown, "but..." he smirked, "I do know that you kept making me jealous when that bastard James Riot gave you that flower."
"Wait, but that was when we first met, we were seven years old."
"I know."
DISCLAIMER: The cover is not mine, the credits go to the rightful original artist. Please contact me if you wish for me to take it down.
She's his flower,
But also his rain.
She's the beauty in his day,
But also his night full of pain.
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"When Noah looks at you, it's like he's been living in a black and white universe and he just saw colours for the first time. These past weeks not being able to talk to you, all the colour in his life just went away and it's back to black and white and all he's been trying to do is remember what life was like before he knew what colour was."
To Be Loved Like This tells the story of Raegan, a woman who finds herself, not in the innocence of first love, but in the aftermath of becoming. Through the weight of loneliness, past wounds, and lives already lived, her self worth grows into something rare: a love that is steady, intentional, and safe. This is not a story about being saved, but about being chosen. It's about what happens when love shows up softly, stays, and proves that healing doesn’t have to hurt.
The protagonist of 'What Beauty There Is' is Jack Dahl, a teenager thrust into an impossible situation when his mother is imprisoned, leaving him to care for his younger brother, Matty, in a harsh winter landscape. Jack’s resilience and love for his brother drive the narrative, as he navigates poverty, danger, and moral dilemmas to protect Matty. The story’s raw emotional core comes from Jack’s desperation—his choices blur the line between right and wrong, making him a deeply compelling character.
What struck me about Jack is how ordinary yet extraordinary he feels. He isn’t a chosen one or a hero with special skills; he’s just a kid fighting for survival. The novel’s bleak setting contrasts with the beauty of his determination, which reminds me of other gritty YA protagonists like Ree Dolly from 'Winter’s Bone.' Jack’s voice lingers long after the last page, a testament to how well Cory Anderson crafts his struggle.
I picked up 'What Beauty There Is' on a whim, drawn by its haunting cover and the promise of a gritty, emotional story. And let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint. The book’s raw portrayal of survival and fractured family bonds hit me hard—it’s one of those stories that lingers. The prose is stark yet poetic, almost like Cormac McCarthy for a YA audience. The moral gray areas the characters navigate make them feel painfully real.
What stuck with me most, though, was the relationship between the brothers. The desperation and love between them is so visceral, it’s impossible not to root for them despite their flaws. If you’re into dark, atmospheric tales with heart, this one’s a must-read. Just maybe keep some tissues handy.