A review by chaptersofchase
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Dang, Alice Feeney, you knocked it out of the park with this one! 
Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for the gifted copy of Beautiful Ugly {partner} 
 
Genre: Mystery 
Format: 🎧📖 
Pub Date:  1.14.2024 
Pages: 320 
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5 
 
"Men still rule this world, and as a result, the world is broken. Men still hold most positions of power, men control governments, men control media, and it is always men who start wars. Men have tricked women into thinking they see us as equals, but real equality, for all women everywhere, still feels like little more than a pipe dream." 👈🏼_ this quote. 
 
I started listening to Beautiful Ugly while putting away dishes one morning, and then, before I knew it, the kitchen was clean, clothes were folded, and the house was dusted, vacuumed, and mopped. I was giving my dogs a look that had them hiding under the bed because they thought for sure they were up next to be cleaned. I was grasping at anything I could to keep listening—Feeney packed so much into each short chapter, and it provided the absolute perfect distraction. 
 
I've always loved the settings that Feeney creates in her books, but the atmosphere and forbidding in Beautiful Ugly were fantastic. There was one theme on the island that I noticed very early on (and I'm curious if others who have read it noticed it as well) — I kept thinking that I had missed something, but then it was revealed, and I felt like I'd just won "best detective" for figuring it out so early 🥳 
 
And that ending?? Holy moly. I felt like I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. 
 
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆.5 
Beautiful Ugly is narrated by Richard Armitage (who has narrated His & Hers and Rock Paper Scissors) and Tuppence Middleton (who narrated A Midnight Feast). I enjoyed the narration, but the performance didn't blow me away. What I did love was the sound effects—they absolutely added to the sense of foreboding and left me with goosebumps on several occasions. But really, if audiobooks are your thing, you MUST use your ears to read this one. 
 
Read if you enjoy: 
😅 Unique characters 
🌧️ Isolated setting 
🫣 Sinister vibes 
🤯 Endings that leave you shocked 
📖 Short Chapters 
 
I recommend adding Beautiful Ugly to your 2025 reading list — and definitely try out that audio 😉 
 
 
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