Beautiful Gratitude

A coming-of-age novel about the hardships of growing up in a culture that demands nothing less than perfection from women. Corey Ann Haydu explores the complexities of family, the limits of love, and how hard it is to grow up in a culture that prizes beauty above all else and demands nothing less than perfection from women. A contemporary read that speaks directly and honestly to the multitude of issues faced by teenagers and young adults worldwide—the confusion of first love, family dramas, and the construction of one's own identity amidst all this madness. The book is full of realistic characters, who stumble over their own fears and make mistakes that are impossible not to identify with. Montana and her sister Arizona have had a pact since their mother left them: it's the two of them against the world. With their father constantly immersed in toxic relationships and a succession of stepmothers, this was their way of moving forward. But now that Arizona has gone to college, Montana feels left behind and lost, plunging into a dizzying and exciting friendship with the bold Karissa. In the midst of it all, Montana finds a distraction in Bernardo. It remains to be seen whether Montana has the necessary trust in what they feel for each other to fit Bernardo into their imperfect life.