Book Review: What Beauty There Is

*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

What Beauty There Is was a recommended book on my Netgalley homepage and I was enchanted by the cover, so I requested it without looking too much into it.  I found it to be a fast-paced, survival story about two teenagers and a young boy who are connected by the criminal pasts of their fathers.  As I was reading, it felt like I was watching a movie.  Anderson's writing is extremely engaging and keeps you on edge page after page.

From the first chapter, you know this book is going to be tragic... but you can't stop reading.  At least, I couldn't.  I liked the multiple points of view where the reader sees Ava's thoughts while following Jack's story; however, I was annoyed with Jack's resistance towards help when that's what he so desperately needed.  I'm not sure he nor his brother would've survived as long as they did in real life... it might've been a bit of a stretch.  The ending seemed very sudden, but I was okay with it.

While I found this to be a solid stand-alone story (wait, it's the first book in a series... does it need to be?) about a boy's determination to do anything to keep himself and his brother alive and together, it wasn't my cup of tea.  For readers who enjoy haunting thrillers, this might be the book for you.  Trigger warnings include: extreme violence, suicide/death and child neglect.
What Beauty There Is was released April 6, 2021.  It is available to purchase through major retailers, or my personal favorite book distributor, Bookshop.  Buy through Bookshop, support local bookstores!

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