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adrihean's review
3.0
“Girls knew how to wound quietly, without anyone noticing.”
“Flawless Girls,” by Anna-Marie McLemore
This book was very strange, not bad, just very strange. The entire book I was just thinking that these girls are high the entire time. It is a very poetic sort of book about looking beyond the top layers on yourself and society sort of book. It was marketed as a horror romance YA book, but I would not say it romance at all, at least not enough for it to be one of its genre’s. The horror aspect is more psychological than spooky horror. 3 out of 5 stars.
Thank you for the ARC.
ashliesydel's review
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Vibes: The Virgin Suicides, Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Where the Wild Things Are
I devoured this book; I was unable to put it down. It's what I consider a sophisticated horror. Very ominous, twists, and unsettling moments. It's weird and the "theme" can be interpreted a few different ways. It's unnerving and psychological.
We have sisters Renata and Isla who come from "new" money. They are raised by their self-made grandmother who always encouraged them to be independent, expressive, and strong. However, now that the sisters are 17 and 20 the grandmother decides to send them to the most elite finishing school in the area. Not because she wants them to be ladylike and conform to society standards but because she wants people to respect them, and she knows graduating from said school is an ivy league badge that demands respect.
Right from the jump Isla is like fuck this shit, these bitches are Stefford wife crazy I'm outie. Reneta refuses to leave so she gets left behind. Isla is our FMC and after her big sister returns brainwashed, she decides to return to the school to get answers and find out how to help her sister.
These sisters are NOT Anna & Elsa and they don't have a heartwarming ending. Instead, Isla finds herself drawn in by the madness.
This was a satisfying and fast paced read for me. It was trippy, the ending doesn't wrap everything up with a bow, but I liked it. It explores sexuality, society standards, femininity, suppressing desires, embracing your dark side, self-love, and acceptance.
I devoured this book; I was unable to put it down. It's what I consider a sophisticated horror. Very ominous, twists, and unsettling moments. It's weird and the "theme" can be interpreted a few different ways. It's unnerving and psychological.
We have sisters Renata and Isla who come from "new" money. They are raised by their self-made grandmother who always encouraged them to be independent, expressive, and strong. However, now that the sisters are 17 and 20 the grandmother decides to send them to the most elite finishing school in the area. Not because she wants them to be ladylike and conform to society standards but because she wants people to respect them, and she knows graduating from said school is an ivy league badge that demands respect.
Right from the jump Isla is like fuck this shit, these bitches are Stefford wife crazy I'm outie. Reneta refuses to leave so she gets left behind. Isla is our FMC and after her big sister returns brainwashed, she decides to return to the school to get answers and find out how to help her sister.
These sisters are NOT Anna & Elsa and they don't have a heartwarming ending. Instead, Isla finds herself drawn in by the madness.
This was a satisfying and fast paced read for me. It was trippy, the ending doesn't wrap everything up with a bow, but I liked it. It explores sexuality, society standards, femininity, suppressing desires, embracing your dark side, self-love, and acceptance.
sysb218's review
2.0
This one was...interesting to me. I almost had to DNF it, because it definitely frustrated me at times, I finished the book and essentially thought, what the heck did I just read. When I read the summary provided, I assumed it was going to be a thriller-type book, but what I got was not super realistic. I genuinely thought half of this book was a fever dream and we were going to get a cliche "and then she woke up" scene at the end. I see where the author was trying to go with this, but I do not think it was executed very well. Honestly, my favorite part may have been the book's cover, because WOW, that illustrator needs a raise.
eternallyicarian's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
teganbeesebooks's review
5.0
A-M, you did it again. A great story about what, as women, we are forced to hide.
If you liked Ryan La Sala's The Honeys, definitely add this one to the top of your list!
If you liked Ryan La Sala's The Honeys, definitely add this one to the top of your list!
dylanmallas's review
1.0
While the concept of "Flawless Girls" by Anne-Marie McLemore held promise with its intriguing ideas, the execution left much to be desired. The symbolic elements within the plot felt forced, hindering the overall storytelling experience. The narrative, unfortunately, was convoluted and confusing, making it a challenging task to navigate through the pages. Ultimately, the difficulty in comprehending the story made it hard to muster the motivation to finish the book. this one.
cbashore's review
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tiasreading's review
3.0
The cover of Flawless Girls is simply FLAWLESS - Here, I have no notes. Immediately at first glance you’re drawn in - and after reading the book, I find it to be just another cherry on top with its irony of outside VS inside.
First, I loved the intersex representation in our main character and the author’s note at the end. You can tell how much care was put into that aspect of the book and that earned another star from me. Unfortunately, the rest of the book fell flat for me but I will definitely be looking at this author’s other works.
I guess I thought this was be more of a traditional mystery, but it seemed to lean more towards literary fiction with a foreboding mystical element - there were a plethora of metaphors and similes about gems or diamonds or other shiny things that just got old after a while. I also didn’t like how I had to sit through the entire book of metaphors for the author to flat out plainly explain the entire point of the metaphors at the end. Like..? But the chapters were short so I feel like I could get through the book really fast, and I was interested in the dynamic between the two sisters and the dynamic between Isla and a few girls she met at Alaric House. I feel like there was a lot going on in this book but it got lost in the delivery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillans for the e-arc in exchange for my hones opinion!
First, I loved the intersex representation in our main character and the author’s note at the end. You can tell how much care was put into that aspect of the book and that earned another star from me. Unfortunately, the rest of the book fell flat for me but I will definitely be looking at this author’s other works.
I guess I thought this was be more of a traditional mystery, but it seemed to lean more towards literary fiction with a foreboding mystical element - there were a plethora of metaphors and similes about gems or diamonds or other shiny things that just got old after a while. I also didn’t like how I had to sit through the entire book of metaphors for the author to flat out plainly explain the entire point of the metaphors at the end. Like..? But the chapters were short so I feel like I could get through the book really fast, and I was interested in the dynamic between the two sisters and the dynamic between Isla and a few girls she met at Alaric House. I feel like there was a lot going on in this book but it got lost in the delivery.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillans for the e-arc in exchange for my hones opinion!
grace_astudentreading's review
mysterious
slow-paced
3.0
Advanced reader's copy review
I hate to say it but this book was a disappointment. It did not live up to the (admittedly high) expectations I have for a book by Anna-Marie McLemore. It certainly had the hallmarks of their writing, with beautiful, atmospheric prose, a dash of magic, and fantastically queer characters. But it felt more like a draft than a completed book. Also, this book was labeled as horror and while it has some creepy elements, I feel that calling it horror is a bit of a stretch. However, even if this book was not everything I wanted it to be, it was still an enjoyable read. I truly loved how heavily visual the writing was, with the vibrant descriptions of the Alarie House and its girls. I also loved the main character Isla, though I wish I could have seen more of her relationship with Renata before they went to the Alarie House. And while I found the plot a bit lacking, I did really like the ending of the book. It was an excellent resolution and tied things up between Isla and Renata very well. Overall, this book did not meet my expectations but was still enjoyable.
Thank you Netgalley and Feiwel and Friends for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I hate to say it but this book was a disappointment. It did not live up to the (admittedly high) expectations I have for a book by Anna-Marie McLemore. It certainly had the hallmarks of their writing, with beautiful, atmospheric prose, a dash of magic, and fantastically queer characters. But it felt more like a draft than a completed book. Also, this book was labeled as horror and while it has some creepy elements, I feel that calling it horror is a bit of a stretch. However, even if this book was not everything I wanted it to be, it was still an enjoyable read. I truly loved how heavily visual the writing was, with the vibrant descriptions of the Alarie House and its girls. I also loved the main character Isla, though I wish I could have seen more of her relationship with Renata before they went to the Alarie House. And while I found the plot a bit lacking, I did really like the ending of the book. It was an excellent resolution and tied things up between Isla and Renata very well. Overall, this book did not meet my expectations but was still enjoyable.
Thank you Netgalley and Feiwel and Friends for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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