Beautiful Mess

Beautiful Mess
ISBN: 9781925498547
Publication Date: 28 August 2017

Since Ava lost Kelly, things haven't been going so well. Even before she gets thrown out of school for shouting at the principal, there's the simmering rage and all the weird destructive choices. The only thing going right for Ava is her job at Magic Kebab.

Which is where she meets Gideon. Skinny, shy, anxious Gideon. A mad poet and collector of vinyl records with an aversion to social media. He lives in his head. She lives in her grief. The only people who can help them move on with their lives are each other.

Review by Sarah McDuling

Oh my gosh and wow. This book definitely gave me lots of feelings.

It's a rare thing to find a book that is able to give you both intense emotional depth as well as a bunch of joyful LOLs. Beautiful Mess not only walks that fine line between drama and humour, it dances and twirls through the full gamut of human emotions, dealing with serious issues such as grief, depression and anxiety with both sensitivity and raw honesty.

First and foremost, this is a book about friendship and love. Ava is struggling with depression after a tragic loss. Gideon is crippled by debilitating anxiety. When these two meet they strike up an unlikely friendship that deepens into something more. And then just be prepared for heartbreak. And laughs. And awkwardness. And joy. Ava and Gideon's story grabbed me by the heartstrings and played merry havoc with my soul!

This bittersweet and tender story is guaranteed to capture hearts and minds. I shall be placing it on my shelf alongside Looking for Alibrandi and Six Impossible Things. A pitch-perfect read with lovable characters, heartfelt emotion and a poignant message, Beautiful Mess is one of my new favourites!

About the Author

Claire Christian is a novel...