Guys. I feel like I have read every amazing book on the planet this year. But this one.. this one tops the list.
I was terrified going into Beautiful Disaster. I don't know why I got so worked up over it, but I did. I was scared because Beautiful Disaster seems to be a "love it" or "hate it" kind of book.. and I so badly wanted to love it. All my worries ended on the very first page. I was totally hooked. I was in love.
I barely even know how to describe my reading experience. The physical experience was every bit as valuable as the story. I spent one entire day reading this book in extremely awkward positions (including laying on the floor with my feet up in the air on a chair..wtf?), I took this book with me to the bathroom because I couldn't possibly part with it, and I quoted every other line to my amazingly tolerant boyfriend. I laughed, I giggled insanely, and most importantly, I cried like a little girl. I think my eyes were in tears the entire last quarter of the book. I went from sad, to desperate, to happy, to insanely happy, and back to sad when the book ended and I had no more amazingness to read.
Jamie McGuire is a freakin' genius. I'm usually very picky about my bad boys, but Jamie set up Beautiful Disaster perfectly so that I would fall head over heels for Travis. Normally in stories like this there's the asshole bad boy and then there's the nice guy, and I always fall for the nice guy. Not this time! Travis had a great mix of bad boy jerk and sweet, sensitive, affectionate man. That way, when compared to Parker, Parker just looked like the boring, "safe" option, and Travis looked like the passionate, head over heels, to die for option.
I think a lot of people don't like this book because they look at Travis and they see a troubled guy who's a bit of an asshole and objectifies women. That's why I was scared going into this book, because I normally hate that kind of thing. But when I looked at Travis, I saw so much more than that. In the first scene he has a bimbo on his lap, but as soon as she insults his friend, he's like "Get the fuck out. Now." I knew right then and there that I would like Travis. He may have flaws but he is loyal. He's not a jackass. He loves his friends, he sticks up for them, and he'll go the lengths of the world for them. His relationship with Abby isn't perfect, but my god, it is passionate. I honestly think the title for this book is so perfect, because their relationship was absolutely beautiful.. but it was also a disaster. It was a little dysfunctional, and a little crazy, and there were definitely highs and lows. But that's what made this book an absolute delight of a roller coaster. When things were going badly, I was desperately clinging onto every page, waiting for things to get better again. I rarely get that invested in books, but I literally felt like my life would end if Travis and Abby couldn't make their relationship work.
Even the side characters were amazing and so full of life! America.. how I LOVED LOVED LOOOVED America! She is like the best friend I never had and always wanted. She's so fiercely loyal and always siding with Abby and always supporting her no matter what. I love how they always run to each others' sides when things get tough.
My only 'problems' with the book are two small things:
The blurb isn't exactly accurate. It says, "The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear.." Abby isn't as much of a "good girl" as the blurb implies. It clearly says, "She doesn't drink or swear," but Abby actually does drink and she has a fake ID. So if Abby is a "good girl" who has a fake ID and goes to clubs and drinks, what the heck am I? :P I don't drink, I never had a fake ID, and I don't go clubbing. I must be the virgin mary! I know that there is a big back story behind this, but I felt like there was never a point in the book where Abby was a good girl. Yes she was trying to start over with a new slate, but she was never ever innocent and never turned down a drink.
The other thing isn't really a problem with the book, it's just something that kept making me laugh. Travis always calls Abby "Pigeon" or "Pidge," and I could never keep a straight face. Lady and the Tramp, anyone? The Tramps calls Lady "Pidge" ALL THE TIME! I just couldn't help but think of those cartoon characters every time Travis said it! I immediately messaged my boyfriend and instructed him NOT to call me Pigeon. He pouted and asked if he could call me Archimedes instead.
Team Fortress 2: Archimedes
Archimedes is a miscellaneous item for the Medic. It is the Medic's white dove splattered in blood, as seen in Meet the Medic. It sits on the shoulder of the Medic just like Demoman's Bird-Man of Aberdeen. On BLU Archimedes does not have blood splatters. This item is awarded in genuine quality to those who purchase the real life version from the Valve store.
The Official TF2 Wiki
I said yes. I love my boyfriend to bits.
I feel like I've barely scratched the surface with this review. This book really shook me to my very core. Do you ever feel silly when you yell at characters in a movie for making a mistake? Because obviously they can't "hear" you and nothing you say will change the movie. But when I was reading this book I was yelling at the characters and wishing like crazy that things would work out.. despite the fact that obviously my yelling and wishing wouldn't do any good. But that's how much I fell in love with this book and that's how much it affected me. I know my boyfriend will vouch for all the times I pasted him quotes from the book over Skype, and my mom laughed at me for shrieking in delight over the exciting parts and for screaming, "I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!"
There is no doubt in my mind.. this is the best book I have read this year. Period. This is one of my all time favourite books. Danny: I first heard about Beautiful Disaster when I read your Bewitched Bookworms review. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I'm so incredibly thrilled that I discovered this book and I have you to thank!
I can't think of a single guy I know that's good enough for you.
Your skin was three inches from my face, and you're beautiful, and you smell fucking awesome when you sweat. I kissed you! I'm sorry!
You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want.
I was his exception, and as much as I had tried to fight my feelings, he was mine.