Beautiful Mess

‘This is a strong, character-driven story from a talented playwright and novelist, which tackles some hefty issues with lightness and humour. It is an impressive debut.’ Books+Publishing 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. The winner of the 2016 Text Prize, Beautiful Mess is funny and sad and a bit screwed up and romantic and absolutely real. In other words, a lot like life. Claire Christian is a novelist and playwright who lives in Brisbane. She has had three plays published by Playlab, and her play Bloom was shortlisted for the Griffin Award in 2009. She was one of YWCA Queensland’s 125 leading women of 2013. ‘A book full of heart and hope. Claire Christian’s voice leaps off the page, brimming with energy and verve.’ Judges' comments, Readings Young Adult Book Prize ‘A raw, affecting coming-of-age story that starts a conversation about mental health.' Readings ‘Beautiful Mess is a powerful, poignant novel about love, loss, and learning that even though we might feel cracked or broke at times, we are still beautiful...Claire Christian must be commended for tackling some of the most confronting themes in YA with sincerity and heart.’ Written Word Worlds ‘An engrossing read that brings together Ava and Gideon, two emotionally flawed and troubled characters not unlike Libby and Jack in Jennifer Niven’s Holding Up the Universe or Eleanor and Park of Rainbow Rowell’s book of the same title.’ Readings ‘Beautiful Mess tackles young adult issues head on, but with a lightness of touch that lifts it from the dark topics it explores. A debut novel with memorable, authentic characters that touch your heart, float into your life and leave you wanting more.’ Magpies ‘A truly touching story of young people trying to navigate their way through real problems. I highly recommend this novel and congratulate Claire on a great debut.’ Lamont Books ‘Claire is such a lovely bubble of positivity. I'm excited to see what she brings to Aussie YA.' Danielle Binks, Alpha Reader Beautiful Mess is a stunning read. Claire Christian has delivered a raw and moving debut with beautifully flawed, well-drawn characters who you can’t help but fall in love with.’ Gabrielle Tozer ‘Claire Christian delivers an honest and searing depiction of the flow-on effects of grief...A book with a lot of heart and hope and a useful compass for teens facing similar issues.’ Kids’ Book Review ‘Bittersweet and funny...A beautiful book with important words to say about mental health, love and brokenness.’ Paper Fury ‘Beautiful Mess is a wonderful reflection of complexities of adolescence. Palpable, poignant and captivating, the narration of two adolescents finding moments of solace in one another. Claire Christian is a captivating, compassionate and remarkable debut author composing a narrative that will linger long after the final page.’ Diva Booknerd ‘Beautiful Mess is the most sensitive explanation of depression and how it affects lives that I have ever read. If you read any other book and felt a bit uncomfortable about the depiction of depression, read this one and understand more. Recommend it to your teenagers, your students, your friends with teen kids. It might help them understand and recognise themselves in some of the pages.’ The Sapling ‘Tender and insightful...An enlightened look at youth suicide and mental health.’ New Zealand Herald ‘Claire has created an authentic and informative book for young adults, while also an enjoyable read.’ Tea in the Treetops ‘The characterisation is strong and works wonderfully with the sinuous dialogue. In these darkened lives there are some light and funny moments, cleverly crafted by Claire Christian...All libraries for young adults should stock at least one copy of this book.’ Reading Time ‘A raw, beautifully written story that sensitively tackles grief, suicide, self-harm and first sexual experience.’ NZ Women’s Weekly ‘A funny and sad rom-com that doesn’t sugar-coat the grittier parts of teenage angst.’ Readings Best Young Adult Books 2017 ‘The issues that are tackled in this book are important...Anxiety and depression, self-harm, suicide and grief are covered without making it feel like that’s all the book was written to do.’ Boffins Books ‘Beautiful Mess doesn’t shy away from how rough the teen years can be, but also demonstrates the possibilities of healing and provides quite a few laughs to boot.’ Readings 'The characters are engaging, and their emotional struggles are palpable...While the majority of the plot is dark and grim, support from caring adults and siblings brings about an ending that is realistic and hopeful. VERDICT Recommended for most public library young adult collections.’ School Library Journal ‘Tender and absorbing, this debut novel from Australia tackles challenging topics...with an open and loving hand. It deals with myriad emotions and allows the healing process to be organic. The sweetness of the characters rises above the darkness they carry, and their honest desire for acceptance...will resonate with a wide range of readers.’ Booklist

Capture your life, your loves, and your dreams. Go ahead, grab your camera! Let Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman of A Beautiful Mess inspire you to fall in love with photography, with 95 ideas for capturing your everyday life in beautiful photos. Book jacket.

"Give your home a "happiness makeover" with the more than 90 DIY projects, decorating tips, and inspiring ideas in this first-ever home decor book from the creators of the mega-popular style blog A Beautiful Mess"--

Can a band comprised of six very talented but very different musicians make a difference with their music? What made it possible for Diamond Rio to weather the storms inherent in the fickle world of fame and fortune and go more than two decades without a single lineup change? Any reader in search of transparency and a behind-the-scenes look into the life of the band as a unit as well as the individual lives of the players and singers will be well satisfied. Can true loyalty exist within the competitive, seemingly unforgiving music industry? In Beautiful Mess Marty Roe, Dan Truman, Jimmy Olander, Brian Prout, Gene Johnson, and Dana Williams each has an entire chapter devoted to his personal and professional life. The book’s tone is a welcome rarity—not written from one player’s perspective, but from all six as they “meet in the middle.” Beautiful Mess is a wild ride from the edge of disaster and a little-known secret to an ongoing heart-warming revival.

A girl with a love for off-the-beaten-path destinations, fashion maven Andi Eaton found herself putting aside the Lonely Planet and Condé Nast Traveler guides and, instead, looking to bohemians and artists for travel and style inspiration: What do the flower children wear on their excursions? Where are the creatives’ favorite vintage shops? And where do the musicians go late-night dancing after the last encore? The dreamer in her wanted more than what a standard travel guide could offer, so she decided to create her own. Wanderful is a stylish lookbook and travelogue for the adventurous and nomadic at heart. Follow in Andi’s footsteps as she travels the United States to discover some of its most effortlessly chic destinations—and the fashionable free spirits and wanderers who live there. Nine intimate and exciting road trip routes explore cities, forests, and in between, and will make you feel like you’re traipsing the country with your best, and best-dressed, girlfriends by your side. Every route features a peek into the closets of area tastemakers, and many routes lead to favorite trendy destinations, including Joshua Tree, New Orleans, Marfa, and Santa Fe. Throughout, there are photos, stories, and recommendations for where to shop, dine, and find music and fun, just like a local.

"It's about the excitement at the start of a magical love affair." "It's about being in love, everyone knows apart from the person you're in love with." "It's about a fear of the dark which can be conquered by somebody you love being there." "It's about the end of a possibility, the end of hope." "It's about dreaming." "It's about escape and flying." "It's about winning." "It's about an idealistic gay utopia, but looking back in hindsight it wasn't the utopia they all thought it would be." "It's about how cities come and go." "It's about my childhood." "It's about the end of a relationship." "It's about someone I know." "It's about people not believing each other." "It's about not being disappointed." "It's about being disappointed." "It's about how you can almost be there, without getting there." "It's about class, about rough boys getting a bit of posh." "It's about growing old, and that when you've reached a certain age you've survived this far, you're still alive." "It's about waiting for someone to tell you they love you." "It's about saying goodbye." 'Beautiful Mess was written between the years 1987/1997. They are explorations and observations, they part document my ever changing attitudes. I present to you, a twilight world of neon and the unknown, of secret dreams and deals, of contrasting morals and different codes where the young are the heroes and the losers are saints, where the ugly is beautiful and the beautiful more beautiful, in the gutter where gold is found, we are all just a beautiful mess.' Mark Binmore. London 1998.

Can anyone define love? Can anyone decide the right time to meet his or her soulmate? No! because it's love and love just happens! Smita, A doctorate in Psychology is a well-known author and Anirban, who has lost himself and his identity in the hands of fate, both hail from two different worlds and their lives are absolutely different. But they say, opposites attract. They both have their insecurities and problems, After all loving after age of 30 sounds weird. Isn’t it? They find their soulmate in each other. Will they be able to sustain their love? Is it possible to love someone even after he /she leaves you for another world? Or will their love also fade with time?

“As I read this book, I find great hope in the presence of the kingdom of God and a deeper desire to participate in it.” —from the foreword by Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz When Jesus was on earth, He painted a radical vision for His followers of an unseen reality. He called it “the kingdom of God.” Even here, Jesus said—in the harshness and mess of earth—His kingdom is the way things really are. His announcement was nothing less than revolutionary, yet His followers were not quick to pick up on it. They longed for another world—a world without injustice or oppression or poverty. But Jesus said that His kingdom was already happening all around them, through them, and in them. This Beautiful Mess explores what happens when we view our lives through the lens of God’s kingdom. We see the beauty of Jesus’ reign breaking into the mess of our broken world. We see treasure hidden all around us. We begin to grasp our exciting part in bringing about personal and social transformation for His glory. New for this edition: an updated preface, three bonus chapters, and a small group conversation guide. Come experience a paradigm-shifting journey into the beauty of our King, and the beautiful mess that is His kingdom.