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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
"We're just two teenagers who never stood a chance to be friends in this world, so we became what was expected of us. Enemies."
By the end of this book, my heart was aching and rejoicing at the same time from the countless emotions it had been exposed to. This story is so unique, unlike anything else out there, and it is in my humble opinion, her best work thus far.
My goosebumps got goosebumps!
By the end of this book, my heart was aching and rejoicing at the same time from the countless emotions it had been exposed to. This story is so unique, unlike anything else out there, and it is in my humble opinion, her best work thus far.
My goosebumps got goosebumps!
One of the best books I ever read if not the best!
Leigh did it again and gave us this masterpiece of a book.
You get pulled into the Todos Santos world again and without regret. At the beginning I was not completely sure what to think of Daria but in the end she and Penn just melted my heart.
Leigh did it again and gave us this masterpiece of a book.
You get pulled into the Todos Santos world again and without regret. At the beginning I was not completely sure what to think of Daria but in the end she and Penn just melted my heart.
the only likable character of this story is the mean girl. and that says a lot.
Holy teenage angst! This story is a roller coaster ride that will give you whiplash and have you begging for more! With a slight Cruel Intentions feel, LJ Shen tosses you into this world that she has created and takes no mercy. I was spellbound reading this story and wondering what will happen next. It is raw, gritty, dirty at times and hard on the angst. It keeps you completely engrossed in every page until you hit the end and all you want to do is yell MORE! You are given a complex and unique story with Daria and Penn fighting and oh so much more! Honestly, it is hard to write the review because you just want to scream it from the rooftops. I have to say if you are a fan of Shen and love your angst, this book is totally for you and you will devour it!
So, there’s a part in Pretty Reckless where Daria says another character is “too smart to fall for this type of Riverdale nonsense” and, I don’t know, maybe this was L.J. Shen lampshading the absolute ridiculousness of this book to the audience but it really took me until this moment in the book to be like, “HOLY SHIT! THAT’S IT! THIS *IS* RIVERDALE!” But, like… TIMES TEN, y’all. Complete with:
Oh my Marx, where to begin.
The writing in this book was dis-jointed, hectic, and just… not good. But, like… exceptionally not good. The syntax just got so sloppy at times to the point of confusion on my part. And, I don’t know what this is called when it comes to grammar, but I noticed myself struggling a lot with reading this book when there would be these sentences where you would see pronouns and it wouldn’t be clear who it was referring to because there would be multiple subjects in the sentence. For example:
Like, you can eventually figure out what is being said, but it really slowed down the reading process for me.
Shen had a habit of mis-speaking in this book, as well. Things where you could, again, figure out what she was getting at, but there were definitely better ways for them to have been written. Examples:
“Ear-length hair”???
Girl, I know you mean the AC or heat is what’s humming because a thermostat sure as hell isn’t making that noise
Oh my Marx, where to begin.
Spoiler
The Writing:The writing in this book was dis-jointed, hectic, and just… not good. But, like… exceptionally not good. The syntax just got so sloppy at times to the point of confusion on my part. And, I don’t know what this is called when it comes to grammar, but I noticed myself struggling a lot with reading this book when there would be these sentences where you would see pronouns and it wouldn’t be clear who it was referring to because there would be multiple subjects in the sentence. For example:
“Mom and Dad introduce Penn as a family friend to Bailey and me, and I snort while she shakes his hand over the salads and crystal diamond water pitchers.” [P. 58]
Like, you can eventually figure out what is being said, but it really slowed down the reading process for me.
Shen had a habit of mis-speaking in this book, as well. Things where you could, again, figure out what she was getting at, but there were definitely better ways for them to have been written. Examples:
“He is clutching a bottle of what looks like something alcoholic, and his ear-length dark blond hair—or is it light brown?—falls across his forehead.” [P. 23]
“Ear-length hair”???
“It’s probably close to midnight. All the lights in the house are out, and the only audible sounds are the thermostat humming and the coffee machine, which bubbles water automatically.” [P. 220]
Girl, I know you mean the AC or heat is what’s humming because a thermostat sure as hell isn’t making that noise
Decent
A good, quick read. Not my favorite but not the worst. There were a lot of times that I was pulled out of my head because the story got muddled and confusing. Details were missing in certain places and at times the story seemed to jump with no warning. Left me rushing through the final pages with a feeling of meh.
A good, quick read. Not my favorite but not the worst. There were a lot of times that I was pulled out of my head because the story got muddled and confusing. Details were missing in certain places and at times the story seemed to jump with no warning. Left me rushing through the final pages with a feeling of meh.
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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
Great throughout.
Let me start out by saying I do not like bully romances--I don't usually get them, the trope doesn't sit well with me, and I just generally have a hard time getting into it. This one, though, is wonderfully written. Simultaneously twisted and sweet--Daria and Penn found their way into my heart. Daria is immensely flawed--at the same time, it's so difficult to not feel for her and somehow want to comfort her, all while knowing what issues she's had one way or another. A great start to a new series!