BEAUTIFUL WORLD
ANATASIA HOLLINGS
ISBN# 9780061435324
June 2, 2009
HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing
www.harperteen.com
Paperback
$8.99
209 pages
Teen (14 and up)
Rating: 1 cup

Ann Warner-–a.k.a. Amelia–believes she is entitled to the finer things in life, though her father is not a wealthy man. She is sickened by anything which is not high class. Her father has a tutoring job on St. Barts for two weeks. Amelia and her brother, Zach, travel to a different part of the island and create new personas for themselves.

Courtney Moore’s mother created a foaming hand sanitizer which has swept the world by storm. Courtney now lives a life of wealth and privilege. She has a hard time trusting people, because people want to be friends with her because of her parents’ money. Luckily, she has her true friends, Piper and Geof, to help her see what some people are really after.

Amelia and Zach meet Courtney and her parents while vacationing on St. Barts. Amelia has studied everything she can about the Moore family. Taking quotes she has read about the family, she pretends to be a different person. Courtney believes she has made a real friend and confides in Amelia. When Piper and Geof meet the brother/sister duo, the truth is revealed.

Amelia is a liar and a cheat who believes life owes her the best of the best. She spends her time on vacation eating in restaurants she cannot afford and charging the bill to some random room. Not a good example for a girl. Courtney, on the other hand, is this book’s saving grace. By not wanting her parents’ money to change the lifestyle the family had, she sets a fine example for young girls. I would not recommend getting this book for any young lady you know. Ms. Hollings has written a story about a girl who is inconsiderate and nasty, just to get what she wants. The ‘mean girls’ attitude is one I am tired of reading about and wish would go away.

Kimberly
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More