Review of A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Title: A Need So Beautiful
Author: Suzanne Young
Published by: Balzer & Bray
Pages: 267
Source: Traded with Erica from The Book Cellar
Format: ARC
Rating: ★★★

Summary from Goodreads:  We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

Is helping others  and spreading love worth being forgotten?

Charlotte seems like your typical teenager, yet she is compelled to do these mysterious acts for people she doesn't even know.  She always imagined herself different and tried to hide her "needs" from everyone, but soon they started taking over her life.  While I feel bad for Charlotte, because being a teenager is hard enough without having to search out strangers and convince them to do something, I also never felt connected to her.  I agree that her situation wouldn't be fun, but I never really felt compassion for her because I never really knew her. 

I felt the same way about the other characters.  While they were interesting, I never felt connected with them either.  Harlin seemed like the perfect boyfriend, but almost a little too understanding.  If my significant other was running off at all times of the night after having an "asthma attack" I would be more than a little suspicious.  I did like Sarah though.  I felt she was a very real character and someone I could connect too.  She's lead a hard life and I felt sorry for her.  I loved her quirkiness and spunk, but think in real life she would get on my nerves after a while.  She was quite needy and I felt like she dominate the friendship.   

While I'm not a huge fan of angels or beings of light, I love the twist that Suzanne Young brings to them.  The story or concept of the book was my favorite thing.  It was fresh and original.  The idea of a person being compelled to help others and add more love to the world is something I think we should all strive for be we supernatural creatures or not.  In fact, I don't think I'd like being a forgotten, but I like what they stand for.

While I may not have connected with the characters, the story was enough to win me other.  It was a fast and enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.