Lots of layers to this book - the big bad thing isn't the only way that the author unveils her themes and relationships. ( )

Beautiful is a heartbreaking realistic young adult novel. The characters show growth, originality, personality and are easy to relate to.
Ellie is in a horrible accident and we see the transformation not only of her looks but of who she is. She fights for her life and to realize what true beauty is. She doesn't completely lose who she was before the accident, but she realizes a lot of things about herself, and her family and she makes it all into something better. I connected better with Megan though because of her personality type. She is funny, sarcastic and tells it like it is- she also is learning a lot about herself in this book, and walks away from a negative relationship because of it. She is a bit of an outcast, and I relate with that.
There are two quality guys in this book and they both support Ellie through it all. I like that Ellie tries to be selfless about them in her life, and how she handles things. It is not a love triangle persay, because even though it shows a glimmer of possibility for relationship with one of the guys, he is really just mostly a friend, and I like he keeps it that way to preserve their friendship, knowing that differences would probably tear them apart if they were more. So I really appreciate how that is written because it is not often that you see a quality friendship in YA with opposite sexes without him being gay or being romantically involved.
Beautiful is well paced, and has a wonderful driving plot, with supporting and interesting sub-plots. I didn't ever feel like there was too little, or too much going on, it is very well balanced. It explores hope, healing, friendship, and religion. Don't let that turn you off though, it flows very naturally and I never felt like it was preachy. It was brought up at appropriate times and it was always personal opinion and not saying what should be believed.
Though we are taken on Ellie's journey of healing, I really appreciate how nothing is magically fixed- it is planted in reality and there is no magical pill. There is lots of hope, and she grows, changes and heals, but nothing is overnight. It has a great ending but it is not all tied up and handed to her. I would recommend this to my readers who like contemps, realistic ya, or if you want an emotional read that will make you think. ( )

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

Let me start this review by saying that you need to read this book. Go, right now, and pick up a copy. I'll give you my personal guarantee that you'll absolutely love it as much as I did.

Ellie Summerfield is beautiful, popular, smart, and has a great, amazing boyfriend. Her social calendar is always full, she's President of this and in charge of that, and if you asked anyone at West Redding High School to describe her, they'd probably tell you that she's basically perfect.

To Ellie, perfect is the last word she'd use to describe her life, although she wouldn't be able to tell you exactly why. Why does she love her boyfriend, Ryan, and yet not feel in love with him? Why does her sister, Megan, always make her feel like she's doing something wrong? Why do her parents have all of these plans for her that don't mix with the ones she has for herself?

She may have been able to answer all of those questions on her own, before the accident. But the car crashed, then caught on fire. Her maybe-friend, Stasia, died. And Ellie, well, Ellie doesn't look quite as beautiful as she used to.

When your face is that of a monster, and your faith in God and family and friends and just about everything else has been tested, when the "perfect" of your life is gone, what else is left? As Ellie struggles - through physical pain, emotional distress, and self-pity - it's only by coming out the other side that she'll learn that being beautiful has a whole lot more to do with what's on the inside than what's on the outside.

Let me say again - I absolutely loved this book. The characters, the writing, the pitch, the tone; it's all amazing. There was not one misstep in BEAUTIFUL; every word was a joy to read, and I was sad when it was done. Cindy Martinusen-Coloma has a way of writing that lets you live right alongside Ellie, feeling her happiness and heartbreak, dealing with her pain (both physical and emotional), dreaming and hoping and wanting and living.

This is a great book, one that you'll love reading and will be sad to see come to an end. And if you're worried about the fact that it's Christian fiction, please don't be. The message is one of love and acceptance, not one of browbeating you into being a believer. BEAUTIFUL is a book for everyone - and everyone will love BEAUTIFUL. ( )

Have you ever had a story touch your heart in a way that it actually made you rethink your own perspective on things? Beautiful by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma is a story that will do just that, or at least that’s what it did for me.

Ellie Summerfield is Little Miss Perfect; at least that’s how she appears to everyone else. Ellie has a 4.0 GPA, a list of extracurricular activities that would make any college beg for her, she’s beautiful and has a gorgeous boyfriend that seems to actually love her, and everyone in school adores her. But that doesn’t mean she’s happy behind the almost permanent smile she has pasted onto her face.

But as always, there has to be a twist that knocks the seemingly perfect character off their feet and forces them to show their true selves to the world, right? Right. There is a twist in Beautiful, but I can guarantee you that you won’t see it coming, and neither did Ellie; and it changes the course of Ellie’s life and everyone else’s.

It’s been a long while since a book and a story has made me audibly gasp. I didn’t realize when I started reading Beautiful that it’s classified not just as YA, but as “Religious Fiction”; But don’t let that shy you away from this story, it’s one that needs to be heard, and I never would have realized it was classified as “religious fiction” if it hadn’t been printed on the back. There is some mention of God and Ellie’s faith and whatnot, but it’s not really all that noticeable or excessive.

Mrs. Martinusen-Coloma has given us characters that are so realistic and relatable that you’ve got to remind yourself that they’re characters on a page and not people you’ve already met (Megan is the most amusing thing, and so easy to relate to and adore). The writing itself is fantastic and I can’t wait to read more from Mrs. Martinusen-Coloma, there’s something to be said about an author that can make their characters and story jump off the page like Beautiful does.

It’s not a story that you’ll immediately forget or get out of your head. As someone who’s generally opposed to all the happy endings that YA fiction tends to have, this is a story that begs for one and while it wasn’t the ending I was hoping for, it was one that was satisfying enough that it made me smile.

I’ve not been affected by any story like this in a long time, but Beautiful touched me in a way that I don’t think I will soon forget. It’s happy, it’s sad, it’s…Beautiful. ( )

I wasn't sure how I would like this book, it being a YA novel and what not. But as I sat down and read it, I found alot about this book that I loved. I liked the plot and I loved all the characters. A story of a popular and beautiful high school girl who feels that she's missing something in her perfect world. like it's not quite so perfect. Then she faces tragedy and it forever changes her life. The author uses wonderful characters that blend together perfectly.

Reading this story, I felt like I could truly connect with these characters. I felt their pain and cried with them. I laughed with them, and the best of all, I prayed with them. This is a book that I think every young girl should read. Whether they are popular, in the "out" crowd, or just needing a boost of encouragement during the high school years of parties and homecomings and dances, this is the book for them. It is well written and life like, and they will understand God's love the THEM in the end and the TRUE meaning of being beautiful. A 4 star praise to this author and her Beautiful book!

*A special thanks to the author and her pubisher for providing me with a review copy!* ( )