Crazy Beautiful

I love Beauty and the Beast. I do. I think it is the most romantic story ever alongside Lizzy and Darcy and the Phantom and Christine. I was delighted to pick this book up. Lucius was one of the most interesting characters that I have ever encountered in YA fiction. I almost wish the whole book would have been in his POV. I felt sort of a kinship with him even though we really have nothing in common. I also really admired how well Baratz-Logsted captured the male POV. I never felt that I was hearing a woman talking through a male character. The only issue is that I also did not quite see him as beastly. He may be a bit of an outcast because of his appearance and his past but he is sweet and gentlemanly in his pursuit of Aurora. Oddly enough, the character I could not connect with at all was Aurora. She was beautiful, intelligent and instantly popular. It took me a few chapters to really start to like her in any significant way. The only flaws that I could nitpick about this book is I wish it had been longer. I thik the resolution came a bit too quickly and, quite frankly, I want more of this book and more of these characters. Especially Lucius. Needless to say, I hope there is a sequel or continuation of this book because I really loved the story and the characters.

Crazy Beautiful was an ingenious, modern day retelling of my absolute favorite fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. It was witty and filled with both lighter and deeper moments creating a totally mesmerizing prose that I'll never forget. Lucius was cold, slightly arrogant about his intelligence, full of dry humor and also loads of guilt. I was surprised that he took full blame for what happened instead of trying to put it off on someone else. I loved watching him change throughout the book as he grew to be a more caring character and when he started opening himself up to others, it felt as though he was opening himself up to me as well. I absolutely loved him and have never come across a more dynamic character than Lucius. Then there is Aurora, who is so nice but not in the, "So sweet I think I might get a cavity." sense. She was just a truly great person and a completely lovable heroine. She was genuine and real, with nothing coming off as phony or fake. Crazy Beautiful was so unique, with such a beautifully crafted and carried out premise. It was fast paced but also well paced as I believed most everything to have occurred in a reasonable amount of time. I found it to be surprisingly funny at times, especially Lucius, though not a blatant funny hahaha. It was a more subtle and sharper brand of humor, which I personally love. Lauren Baratz-Logsted's writing style was very impressive, keeping me engaged in the story fully and completely. I thought the alternating perspectives are part of what really made this book so wonderful and I confess I was surprised by how authentic and believably male Lucius' voice was. The ending was a bit abrupt and I wish this book could have been longer, but overall, I was pretty satisfied with how it drew to a close. All in all, Crazy Beautiful was an imaginative and enticing, though maybe too short, story that I'd recommend to anyone. One benefit to its short length is that it will just make it even easier for me to find time to re-read it in the future.

My Thoughts: We meet Lucius who got himself into an accident of his own making and blew his arms off. We meet Aurora who is the new girl in school. Lucius and Aurora have a instant connection. There were a lot of side characters that just added personality to the book. I loved this book. It was romantic and gives me hope for everything in this world. Bad things happen, we make mistakes. This story was like a fairytale and I absolutely adored it. I liked Lucius and I liked Aurora. This book is told in alternating viewpoints which made it even more special. We got to experience how they each felt in the same situation. This book left me with a smile on my face and I recommend it to everyone. Read it now!!!! I loved it. All I can say is WOW!!!!!!! This is such a short review, I can't seem to put into words how much I loved this one! Only one word comes to mind: Terrific! Overall: GREAT! WONDERFUL! ROMANTIC. A must read. 5 stars all the way!!!

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL is a young adult love story, but also a coming of age for Lucius Wolfe. This story is told through his eyes and the girl he fell in love with, Aurora Belle. Each chapter flips back and forth between their voices to tell their story. Both are attending a new high school and it's their first day. Lucius stands out because he has hooks for hands. His hands were blown off in an exposition of his own making. Since the explosion destroyed his family's home, they were forced to move. Students remember reading about what happened and have labeled him as crazy. Aurora's mother has died of cancer. She and her dad needed to relocate and start over. When she meets Lucius, they connect on a deeper level, one that neither can understand. The set up of the story is beyond magical. It's a very short story and if I could make but one recommendation, it would be to read the book in one sitting if possible. This was a book I didn't want to put down, not until the last page was read.

The tale of Beauty and the Beast has been retold numerous times, but never as exquisitely presented as it is in Crazy Beautiful. Lucius, a boy who blew off his hands after an experiment gone awry, meets the beautiful and smart Aurora on the school bus. Both are immediately drawn to one another. All the other kids are intimidated by Lucius' hooks and the rumors circulating about the explosion he caused. For the most part, they treat him like the plague; avoiding him or calling him "Crip" or "Hooks" if they converse with him at all. Except for Aurora. She's not intimidated by the hooks--in fact, they seem to draw her to him even more. But Lucius is certain that someone as beautiful and popular as Aurora would never be interested in someone like him. When she does speak to him, he shies away from her, assuming she must be only pitying him. Will Lucius and Aurora ever be able to get beyond all the cliques and cruelty of high school to see what's really important, and realize they were meant for one another? I devoured this book in one sitting. The story was narrated through the alternating viewpoints of both Aurora and Lucius in short, evocative chapters. This was a smart choice on the part of Baratz-Logsted. Being able to discern how differently Aurora and Lucius perceived the same situation added greater insight into their characters and a deeper meaning to the book for me. The suspense of not knowing what Lucius' true motivations were when he concocted that deadly chemical mixture really drove me crazy though, and I found myself anxious to understand his motivations. I couldn't help but like Lucius, he was so witty and so strong minded. Though he was relegated to using hooks in place of hands, he exhibited such an amazing amount of dexterity in mastering the technique, that I really admired his spunk and wanted so badly for him to find friendship and love. I also loved how there was more to Aurora than just being beautiful. She had a maturity and sensitive nature that was I really admired in her character. I loved how she was able to look beyond the surface and see there was so much more to him than a disfigurement. Bottom Line- Crazy Beautiful is a love story, but it's so much more than that too. It deals with profound issues of loss, friendship, healing and second chances. The raw emotions of both the main characters are often painful--Lucius wasn't the only person coping with trauma in his life. At the beginning of the novel, Aurora was just getting over the loss of a parent; the pain of which was all too raw. But Baratz-Logsted punctuated their story with moments of sharp humor, making sure Crazy Beautiful never detoured into a sappy love story. I've read a lot of reviews that said Crazy Beautiful "will keep you coming back for more" and after reading this novel, I understand why so many people felt that way. Crazy Beautiful is a smart, compelling novel that stays with you long after you have finished it, and I am certain that I will als