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Sunday, September 25, 2011

Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Goodreads Synopsis:

We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.


  Review:

I got this thinking that it was a one shot book, not a series. At first, this disappointed me and I pushed it off for a little longer than I originally was going to read it. But then I started reading and found that it would really only work as a series, and if it wasn't going to be a series, then I probably would be very unhappy with the ending. Seeing as how that's not so, I am happier with it, and very eager for the next one.
Charlotte, the main character, I liked. She wasn't stupid with how things were going to work out, and after trying something to push it off, she just went with how things had to go. I like that she didn't whine about it, or doing anything completely stupid. She was genuinely upset at what was happening, as she had reason to be, and I felt it with her. She doesn't have a fully made voice in my head, but I still felt her emotions.
Most of what caught my attention, what made me get the book, and is quite possibly my favorite part, was her and Harlin's relationship. Harlin is so sweet and so good to her. They love each other so much, and they were so sweet and fun and close to each other. I love their relationship, I generally love their kind of relationship, and it was probably the most heart breaking part of the story. It's the part I would have been unhappy with, had this been a one shot with the same ending.
I liked Sarah, her best friend, but not enough to give her a charm. I thought she was a little too selfish and over bearing for me, and I see why she would need Charlotte more than Charlotte would need her. I liked Alex, thought he was adorable; and Mercy was very sweet and a good mother for Charlotte and Alex. Monroe was alright, I don't really have much of an outstanding image of him. And Onika was very good at being the bad character, and so of course I didn't like her all that much.
There were several funny parts to the story that made me smile, and some hot scenes with Charlotte and Harlin that were very nice, but most of the story was bittersweet. Because, even as she was being normal with her friends and family, she knew that it wasn't going to last. Even as she was with Harlin, she knew that it couldn't last. And it was heart breaking, and it made me want to stop because I didn't want to get to the sad ending that I knew was coming.
Even saying this, the plot was very good. I'm not a big fan of angels, they just don't spark my interest, and even though this isn't supposed to be an angel story, it's along those lines. It was very well done, though, and it was a new way of looking at them. A sad way, really, for Charlotte.
It's left a mostly bittersweet, sad feeling, although a very nice one with Charlotte and Harlin because I love them together. And the last chapter, titled 'After', had definitely piqued my interest. I'm excited for the next book; I really want to see what happens next.

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