Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Rating: 3.8/5
Age R: 13+/pg-13
Release Date: September 7, 2009 (tomorrow!)
Synopsis:
In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself. Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her. But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering. Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does.
Thoughts:

Lucius:
"I would give a lot to see that smile again, directed at me." --He says that at some point, it's so cute!

You should know, that synopsis is crazy. It's what's on the back of the book and wow it makes it seem like this book is I don't know what. That's just not how this book is.
I loved the last two pages. They made the ending one of my absolute favorites! Kind of reminded me of The Little Mermaid, which I adore including, no, especially, the soundtrack. :)
The book was written in the alternating POV's of Aurora and Lucius. I really liked that! It's nice to find out what each of them is thinking. It's also really great to find out what each character thinks of their family. Sometimes sad, sometimes happy stuff.
Okay, this is a cute read but what ruined it for me and made me not love it, was that it was not as detailed as I hoped. The characters were not well developed and the ending seemed crazily rushed.
I still liked it quite a bit and would read it again, if only for those last two pages. Actually I kind of have a crush on Lucius, so I'd re-read it for him too.
If you like older reads, this book might not be for you, but if you're in middle school or so, you'll probably love it a lot more. I say that because when I was in MS, I know I would have adored this story. Stories back then were shorter and less detailed (or maybe only the ones I read hehe). They were also less teenagery if that makes sense. This book does not have all these insane bad words and sex and such which is different for a YA book and it's something I also liked about the book. Sure not all the YA books are sex crazed but quite a bit of them are. This one is kind of like a fairy tale. Short and gets to the point quickly without jumping hoops here and there. That could be great for some people and it kind of was for me but at the same time I wanted to know more about Lucius and Aurora and I wanted there to be more, WAY, more between them. I also woul dhave wanted a really bada** antagonist. I'm sorry Mr. Antagonist, if you're bad, you better be really bad.
Either way, this too short (I wanted more Lucius!) book makes for a light, enjoyable, often hilarious, and cute read. If anything read this book for the last two pages which leave you with a super happy feeling and makes you want to share the source of that feeling so that others can feel it too :)

There were so many moments in the book that I loved and of course I have to share a few quotes.
Quote/s:
Aurora (she's so kind, she reminds me of Tohru from Fruits Basket):
"I want to tell her what my mother always taught me: that you should be nice to everyone until a person gives you reason not to be, and sometimes even then."

Aurora:
"It was something I'd never thought about before: what it must be like to be T.J (he's a meanie). It would be awful. Yes, he was louder than the other kids. yes, he could be obnoxious too, like the time he spat on me for no good reason. Is there ever a good reason to spit on someone else? But it would be awful to be him, I realized. It would feel sad. It would feel lonely all the time."

Lucius:
"I may not care, generally speaking, waht others think, but my stiff jeans make me feel like a dork. Vanity, thy name is sometimes Lucius."

***the following quote is pg-13 so beware youngsters***
Lucius:
"Yes, guys our age--news flash!--jerk off. I suspect guys of all ages do, pretty much from the age they first figure out that the thing they pee with is capable of doing other things right up until the day they get so old they forget what it's for again. We all do that thing that people used to warn boys not to do by saying it would make them go blind. We do it, in fact, because we're hoping to temporarily go blind. In a way, at least.

After reading those Aurora quotes it makes you wonder about people doesn't it? About how some people can be so cruel to others. Tsk tsk to you world, especially you bullies out there.

Sweetness:
Be sure to read my author interview with Lauren Baratz-Logstead!

YOU WILL ENJOY READING THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE/ARE INTERESTED IN:
-2000 and so Disney movies-as in movies without that much of a complicated plot
-fairy tales (yeah there are no fairies but you get my point I hope)
-love stories
-guys --oh Lucius! hehe
-hooks
-bullies
-short, light, fun reads
-wonderful last two pages!
-evil parents
-librarians--awesome ones almost as awsesome as Giles
-semi-sad stories
-lost something you loved
-humor--gosh I laughed out loud in a few parts of this book
-Gallowglass (adored this!)
-The Little Mermaid--the last two pages
-Edward Scissorhands--the hooks and the scissorhands
-Crazy/Beautiful (movie with one of my favorite Remy Zero songs, Shattered)--the relationship of the two main characters reminded me of the ones from Crazy/Beautiful