By Miranda Moore (author)
"This YA debut explores guilt, grief, love, loss and long roads to recovery with heart-rending authenticity."
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Miranda Moore’s A Beautiful, Terrible Thing is devastatingly impactful as it shares a story of beautiful life-changing first love and the ravaging emotional dilemmas that come in the wake of terrible loss.
Nathan is smitten when he first see Cara in a café. Shattered by causing the death of a boy after running a red light and fiddling with his phone, her “fresh natural look” and “easy posture” immediately make him “feel a kilo lighter”. In the same moment, while struck down by grief at losing her little brother, Cara is struck by Nathan’s “deep and very, very sexy” voice and “ocean-blue eyes”.
And so, a beautiful connection begins. At the same time, both teenagers are harbouring painful secrets they don’t want to disclose. In Nathan’s words, their first meeting meant, “No baggage. No history. Just easy chat”, and their relationship escalates quickly to the wondrous ache of love.
While readers are drawn to join the dots early, tension simmers almost unbearably in the build-up to the couple discovering their tragic connection. Smart pacing means waiting with bated breath to discover their respective reactions, and being held captive by Moore’s incisive descriptions of grief and the weight of culpability.
Thought-provoking in the way it compels readers to question how they and their loved ones might react in either of the protagonists’ situations, A Beautiful, Terrible Thing is a potent exploration of grief and atonement, and love in all its complex forms. And, through its darkness, the story shines with hope-giving truths: “You couldn’t cling for ever to a good past, to a former you. At some point, you had to accept your new reality, embrace it, and start living again”.
Cara's world broke when her younger brother, Si, died in a car crash. Three months later, she's trying to find her way back, when she meets Nathan. Gorgeous, smart and kind, she feels a freedom when she's with him. But he's hiding a huge secret. His world broke three months ago too - when he ran a red light and killed a boy.There's no way Cara and Nathan can be together. But, despite everything, they find it impossible to be apart.
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Cara's world broke when her younger brother, Si, died in a car crash. Three months later, she's trying to find her way back, when she meets Nathan. Gorgeous, smart and kind, she feels a freedom when she's with him. But he's hiding a huge secret. His world broke three months ago too - when he ran a red light and killed a boy. There's no way Cara and Nathan can be together. But, despite everything, they find it impossible to be apart.
This is a stunningly written, thought-provoking drama about loss, atonement, and love which defines a lifetime.
A compulsively readable story about how grief, love and the poignant beauty of life intertwine, from an outstanding debut novelist.
'Powerful and complex, it's a beautiful and compelling exploration of love and forgiveness. Bravo to Miranda!' - Louisa Reid, Author of Gloves Off and Handle with Care
‘Moore's confident prose is unflinching when faced with tricky subjects. A Beautiful, Terrible Thing is hard hitting yet tackles emotional complexities with a delicate touch. A powerful debut’ - Moira McPartlin, author of Sun Song Trilogy
'A deep look at love, loss, grief and all the emotions in between. A rare new voice.' - Christine Pillainayagam, Author of Ellie Pillai is Brown
‘Exceptional…. gut-wrenchingly compelling…. incredibly strong’ – Cornerstones Literacy Consultancy
‘Beautifully written… very visceral’ – Scottish Book Trust
‘Dark but redemptive’ – Debi Alper
‘Incredible… One of the most gut-wrenching books I’ve ever read’ – Lucy Jakes, Waterstones Children’s Buyer
‘Heartbreaking but hopeful… an important book’ – Denise Gale, Waterstones Children’s Bookseller
Miranda Moore writes fiction and non-fiction and works as a freelance editor and writing coach. She won DFB and Arvon's Search for a Storyteller 2024 and the Wells Festival of Literature Book for Children Competition 2023. She is also a Royal Literary Fund Fellow, helping students with their writing. She sings in a covers band and loves wild places, good company and beautiful food. She lives with her family in the Scottish Borders. A Beautiful, Terrible Thing is her first novel.
Longlist announced for the 2026 Branford Boase Book Award, celebrating the most talented debut writers for children and their editors
Debut Author, Miranda Moore on her powerfully compelling story of life, love and loss.
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Cara's world broke when her younger brother, Si, died in a car crash. Three months later, she's trying to find her way back, when she meets Nathan.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed A Beautiful, Terrible Thing and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing features in the following genres: Featured Books for 13+ readers, Featured Books for Young Adults, Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE)
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing was written by Miranda Moore and published by David Fickling Books
A Beautiful, Terrible Thing has 306 pages
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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