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beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
Everyone’s favorite vigilante…Stella is back!
There is never a dull moment when Stella is involved. She and Sheriff Goat Jones are finally getting to spend some quality time together. Unfortunately, this was wishful thinking on Stella and Goat’s part. Goat receives a visitor in the form of his ex-wife, Brandy.
As if things couldn’t get any crazier, Donna Donovan calls Stella. She needs her help. Donna’s husband, Ned has just been named the number one suspect in a murder case. Neb works at a construction site. Someone found a woman’s body at the site.
Can Stella clear Neb’s name and keep Brandy from her man?
A Bad Day for Pretty is the second Stella Hardesty. I just absolutely fell for Stella and author, Sophie Littlefield when I read Mrs. Littlefield’s debut novel, A Bad Day for Sorry. I didn’t think it was possible to like Stella anymore then I already did but I was wrong. Stella is way better then Dog the Bounty Hunter and she looks better doing it too. Stella helps fight justice for all abused women every where. This is a one seat read. A Bad Day for Pretty is a good day for readers! You won’t be sorry, unless you don’t pick up a copy of this book today.
There is never a dull moment when Stella is involved. She and Sheriff Goat Jones are finally getting to spend some quality time together. Unfortunately, this was wishful thinking on Stella and Goat’s part. Goat receives a visitor in the form of his ex-wife, Brandy.
As if things couldn’t get any crazier, Donna Donovan calls Stella. She needs her help. Donna’s husband, Ned has just been named the number one suspect in a murder case. Neb works at a construction site. Someone found a woman’s body at the site.
Can Stella clear Neb’s name and keep Brandy from her man?
A Bad Day for Pretty is the second Stella Hardesty. I just absolutely fell for Stella and author, Sophie Littlefield when I read Mrs. Littlefield’s debut novel, A Bad Day for Sorry. I didn’t think it was possible to like Stella anymore then I already did but I was wrong. Stella is way better then Dog the Bounty Hunter and she looks better doing it too. Stella helps fight justice for all abused women every where. This is a one seat read. A Bad Day for Pretty is a good day for readers! You won’t be sorry, unless you don’t pick up a copy of this book today.
abikennedy's review
2.0
I picked this book up and didn't realize it was the 2nd in a series. I know I missed some things, but it didn't seem that I had to have read the first book to understand it. Was slow to me. Just ok. Didn't love it. I'm not interested in reading the rest of the series.
colls's review
4.0
There's a lot going on in this book, and you wonder how the threads will come back together (not all of them do). Stella is a great character, interesting and snarky and I like how the author allows her to be a bit flawed at times.
Stella does have a soft-spot for women, particularly women who make bad decisions in men. That's the only reason I can think of for why she gives the Sheriff's ex-wife so many chances. That woman's sheer stupidity should win some sort of darwin award.
Stella does have a soft-spot for women, particularly women who make bad decisions in men. That's the only reason I can think of for why she gives the Sheriff's ex-wife so many chances. That woman's sheer stupidity should win some sort of darwin award.
ubalstecha's review
4.0
Stella Hardesty is back. She is still running her sewing machine shop. She is still engaged in a mating dance with handsome Sheriff "Goat" Jones. And she is still hunting down abusive husbands and making them see the error of their ways.
So when Stella gets a call from an old client because her husband is now the number one subject in a cold case murder investigation, she rides to the rescue, pledging to help out. This brings her in conflict with Goat who wants her to stay away from the investigation. Stella risks having her extra-curricular activities discovered and if that happens she will go to jail.
Add to this the return of Goat's ex-wife, who is being stalked by an ex-boyfriend. Stella is hesitant to help this woman, who she sees as a rival. But Brandy is exactly the kind of woman that Stella helps, so to turn her back on her would be turn her back on herself.
Good sophomore outing full of the action, humour and romantic tension of the first. There is also significant development of Chrissy as a character, which adds to the novel in a good way.
So when Stella gets a call from an old client because her husband is now the number one subject in a cold case murder investigation, she rides to the rescue, pledging to help out. This brings her in conflict with Goat who wants her to stay away from the investigation. Stella risks having her extra-curricular activities discovered and if that happens she will go to jail.
Add to this the return of Goat's ex-wife, who is being stalked by an ex-boyfriend. Stella is hesitant to help this woman, who she sees as a rival. But Brandy is exactly the kind of woman that Stella helps, so to turn her back on her would be turn her back on herself.
Good sophomore outing full of the action, humour and romantic tension of the first. There is also significant development of Chrissy as a character, which adds to the novel in a good way.
nnecatrix's review
3.0
Book #63 for 2016
PopSugar Challenge Task: A book set in your home state
Personal Challenge Task: A book set in a place I know well
C'mon, Sophie, do a fellow Missouri girl a solid and explain to me why you took roughly 1/3 of the State of Missouri and smooshed it down into one fictional county that is apparently tiny enough to require a mere 25 or so (and that's a generous estimate) sworn deputies? Because it's driving me absolutely bonkers! Seriously, I don't know if I can read any more in this series, which is a damn shame, because I really like Stella and her people. I know these folks. They're very real to me, and I like visiting them in this fashion. (The alternative is to attend my 30-year high school reunion this year, and that's a little too real for me right now.)
I'm not sure how much of my 3-star rating is due to my continued geographical frustrations and how much is due to a feeling that this follow-up to [b:A Bad Day for Sorry|6515329|A Bad Day for Sorry (Bad Day, #1)|Sophie Littlefield|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1426018187s/6515329.jpg|6707121] just wasn't as good. There seemed to be a lot of little things that added up to a sense of disappointment. Like a lifelong Missouri resident with twister-based PTSD not knowing the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning. How is that even possible? Goat should have known better, too.
But the mystery itself and its investigation felt weak, and Brandy's character was almost as inconsistent as NewQuarter01 in [b:Alif the Unseen|13239822|Alif the Unseen|G. Willow Wilson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1325543155s/13239822.jpg|18330291]. She also did not seem at all like any kind of love interest ever for Goat, not even a young and stupid Goat. But he supposedly fell for her as a mature adult? Not buying it.
Still, it was a fun ride as long as I turned off my internal cartographer, and Littlefield touched on some interesting issues, like the trend of elderly oxy addicts that has kind of blindsided the substance abuse treatment community. I'd like to read more in the series, but for my sanity's sake, I just can't make it a priority.
PopSugar Challenge Task: A book set in your home state
Personal Challenge Task: A book set in a place I know well
C'mon, Sophie, do a fellow Missouri girl a solid and explain to me why you took roughly 1/3 of the State of Missouri and smooshed it down into one fictional county that is apparently tiny enough to require a mere 25 or so (and that's a generous estimate) sworn deputies? Because it's driving me absolutely bonkers! Seriously, I don't know if I can read any more in this series, which is a damn shame, because I really like Stella and her people. I know these folks. They're very real to me, and I like visiting them in this fashion. (The alternative is to attend my 30-year high school reunion this year, and that's a little too real for me right now.)
I'm not sure how much of my 3-star rating is due to my continued geographical frustrations and how much is due to a feeling that this follow-up to [b:A Bad Day for Sorry|6515329|A Bad Day for Sorry (Bad Day, #1)|Sophie Littlefield|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1426018187s/6515329.jpg|6707121] just wasn't as good. There seemed to be a lot of little things that added up to a sense of disappointment. Like a lifelong Missouri resident with twister-based PTSD not knowing the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning. How is that even possible? Goat should have known better, too.
But the mystery itself and its investigation felt weak, and Brandy's character was almost as inconsistent as NewQuarter01 in [b:Alif the Unseen|13239822|Alif the Unseen|G. Willow Wilson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1325543155s/13239822.jpg|18330291]. She also did not seem at all like any kind of love interest ever for Goat, not even a young and stupid Goat. But he supposedly fell for her as a mature adult? Not buying it.
Still, it was a fun ride as long as I turned off my internal cartographer, and Littlefield touched on some interesting issues, like the trend of elderly oxy addicts that has kind of blindsided the substance abuse treatment community. I'd like to read more in the series, but for my sanity's sake, I just can't make it a priority.
veganemelda's review
3.0
Really, I'd give this a 3.5. I'm not a huge fan of crime novels, so this already had me at a disadvantage. But I love the characters, I love the themes, I love the feminism-without-using-the-word-feminism... I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series (yes, I started on the second novel for some reason), I just won't go out and rush them. But I'd definitely recommend them.
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