Cory Anderson

audio fiction, suspense/drama (~9 hrs or 7hrs20min at 1.2x speed; 2 narrators) - teen Jack Morton tries to keep himself and his little brother Matty out of foster care; 17 y.o. Ava Bardem tries to protect them and herself from her merciless/murderous father (Victor Bardem) during one cold, snowy winter in Idaho. CW/TW: a suicide/discovering of a body, violence.

The story progresses steadily (if a bit predictably) with plenty of suspense and drama (with both families being rife with criminal activity and untimely death) and likeable protagonists (esp. Matty; Ava's voice is sometimes overly saccharine for a character that supposedly won't allow herself to trust or love anyone, but she doesn't have as much of a role in telling the story and mostly chimes in to add foreshadowing).

published April 5 2021… (more)

Jack comes home to discover his mother has committed suicide and left him to care for his little brother Matty while facing eviction from their rental property. Wih no-one to turn to and fearing social services will split them apart, he visits his father in jail to ask him about the rumoured suitcase full of money his father stole and never returned. His father gets angry and hits Jack before prison guards intervene but also brings attention to himself in the form of Bardem, one of the other robbers who was swindled out of money by Jack's father.
While being chased by people for money and the police, Jack is helped by Bardem's daughter Ava who puts Jack and Matty up in a hotel with her own money. Eventually all the worlds collide when Matty is kidnapped by Bardem and Jack and Ava must find the suitcase and bring it to Bardem to save Matty's life.
Gripping, Tarentino -like story with violence and poverty and crime at every turn; all set against a backdrop of Ava's poetic remarks at the start of every chapter narrated by Jack.
One for older readers.… (more)

I won a giveaway for this one (thanks!). It arrived today as I was about to go and prepare dinner. I opened the package, and was completely struck by the cover and the flourishes. I figured I'd go ahead and get started by just reading a few pages before getting back to my previous plans, and then next thing I knew, I was already halfway through the book.

It's so beautifully written, and I felt invested in the characters. My heart ached for them, they warmed it, and it raced as I awaited their fates. This has definitely turned out to be one of my favorite reads so far this year, and I don't think I'll be able to recommend it enough.… (more)

Oh, this book hurt my heart. It started with a sense of foreboding that only deepened and intensified the more I read. I loved Jack, Matty and Ava. They were three beautiful young people, three shining lights, in a world of darkness. They had to fight to stay alive, battling against the harshness of their environment, the greed of men and the unfairness of life. I wanted them to win. I wanted them to find safety and happiness. I wanted them to live normal lives.

The author's writing was incredible - powerful in its sparseness and emotional intensity. It was raw and real and heartbreaking. Ava's parts, especially, were lyrical and haunting, and they deeply moved me. The descriptions of the desolation and freezing conditions Ava, Jack and Matty faced had me cranking up the heat and snuggling deeper under the duvet.

"What Beauty There Is" was not an easy read. There was pain, cruelty, evil, hopelessness and despair that brought me figuratively to my knees. However, the rare shards of happiness, hope and love uplifted me and the tense plot kept me reading. This novel will not appeal to everyone but I loved it. An incredible debut.… (more)