Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf
Publisher: Walker Children
Release Date: April 24, 2012


Summary Blurb (GR):
Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.
My Thoughts:
Every once in awhile I come across a story that just stays with me.  The characters, plot, setting all of it.  IT doesn’t happen very often so when it does I am just completely blown away and I just want to hold the book forever.  That is what happened with Breaking Beautiful.  I even dreamed about waves, cliffs, and caves the night I finished it that is how much this book affected me.
The story is about Allie, a girl having to come to terms with the death of her boyfriend Trip.  She was in the car the night he died and she has multiple injuries and no memory of what happened.  Everyone wants to know what happened and some are even pointing fingers at her the girl who didn’t deserve the most popular guy in school.  What they don’t know is that Allie has secrets and she wants nothing more than to keep those secrets hidden because she is not sure that her little town is ready for who Trip really was behind closed doors.
I have read several abuse stories and none has gotten to me like this one.  I think the way her relationship with Trip unfolded really brought the reader in.  You get bits and pieces of Trip and the memories that Allie remembers throughout the book.  It is just enough to terrify you and show you had broken their relationship was.  On the flip of all this is Blake her childhood friend and her brother Andrew.  Again I have no idea how to begin talking about these two guys.  They are so much more than just characters.  I really appreciate that the author didn’t go in a certain direction with Andrew and when you read this book you will understand what I mean.  The story has enough drama in it that I don’t think certain things were needed and Ms.Wolf went the best route with Andrew.  Major props for that one!  I loved both guys and they are both on my top 5 heros of all time.
I want to gush about this book and tell everyone I know to read it.  It is not a perfect story and there are a lot of scary and intense moments but sometimes we need that when we read, not everything can be sunshine and rainbows.  This shows that there is light at the end of the cave and I cannot wait to read more from Jennifer Shaw Wolf.  She is brilliant!
5 HUMUNGOUS SNOWFLAKES!!!