Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Title: Beautiful Malice
Author: Rebecca James
Release Date: July 13th, 2010 (Today!)
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
*I'm not sure if this is classified as YA or Adult, and it has a lot of very mature themes, so younger teens might want to skip it*
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Following a terrible tragedy that leaves her once-perfect family shattered, Katherine Patterson moves to a new city, starts at a new school, and looks forward to a new life of quiet anonymity.


But when Katherine meets the gregarious and beautiful Alice Parrie her resolution to live a solitary life becomes difficult. Katherine is unable resist the flattering attention that Alice pays her and is so charmed by Alice’s contagious enthusiasm that the two girls soon become firm friends. Alice’s joie de vivre is transformative; it helps Katherine forget her painful past and slowly, tentatively, Katherine allows herself to start enjoying life again.

But being friends with Alice is complicated – and as Katherine gets to know her better she discovers that although Alice can be charming and generous she can also be selfish and egocentric. Sometimes, even, Alice is cruel.

And when Katherine starts to wonder if Alice is really the kind of person she wants as a friend, she discovers something else about Alice - she doesn’t like being cast off.

This seems to be a book that you either love or you hate. On Goodreads there are a lot of 2 star ratings, and a lot of 5 star ratings. I gave it 5 stars. I loved this book. I couldn't put it down from the moment I started it. I can see why some people might not like it: it might seem boring to them. Not to me. This book was all about the characters, and they were great characters.

This book is told mostly from seventeen year old Katherine's POV, but there are snippets of her life five years later, as well as her life a year or so earlier. I felt a connection to Katherine. She lost her sister, her parents are still grieving, and the nature of her sisters death causes the media to hound her. She moves in with her aunt and takes a new last name, becomes more reserved, less her old popular self. That's why, when she meets Alice, she welcomes her into her life. Alice is vivacious and loves life, going about it without a care in the world, so much the opposite of Katherine.

Oh, Alice, Alice, Alice. Are there really people like you in the world? Yes, and that is a scary thought. Someone that you thought was your friend could be your worst enemy and you don't even know it. Alice wasn't all this book was about though. It was also about Katherine learning to live and love again, moving on with her life. Something that I found interesting was that most of the book is told in first person, but there are two sections told in second person, and it was those two sections that had the most impact on me, that made me gasp in horror or cry even though in both cases I knew what would happen.

Basically: I loved this book, though it's certainly not for everyone. If you're a big paranormal fan this probably isn't the book for you, but if you like realistic fiction you might want to give it a shot.

Characters: 10/10
Writing: 9/10
Originality: 10/10
Plot: 9/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 48/50 A
Title/Cover Comments: The title is fine, but I dislike this cover. It just doesn't appeal to me at all: the font, the colors, the eye, nothing works together right. I kind of like the concept of the rain though.