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A review by likeagilmoregirl
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces by Linda Cheng
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is exactly what you want a YA thriller to be; it’s entertaining, dramatic, fun, and original. It’s not every day you pick up a sapphic K-Pop competition novel filled with scandal and horror.
The story centers around Sunny, a fallen-from-grace star, as she navigates the gruesome incidents happening to the girls she’s competing with in a K-Pop competition. A completion she joined to reunite with her estranged best friend (and former co-star) Candie who disappeared from her life after the tragic loss of their other friend and co-star, Mina.
Told in alternating chapters of Then and Now, the competition continues as the number of victims grows and the past events leading up to Sunny and Candie’s estrangement are unraveled.
Filled with drama, scandal, and gore, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a fantastic example of YA Thrillers. I loved the concept and the writing.
This book ended up being 4 stars for me because I felt that while the novel as a whole was structured well, the pace of the novel fluctuated inconsistently. Some parts felt more rushed than I found myself hoping them to be. And there were moments I felt that I had missed something or wished that more time had been spent detailing some events or character relationships.
I was given the chance to read this book in audiobook format and the narrator was fantastic!
Overall, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a wonderful, fun read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys YA thrillers. Especially with a little scandal involved.
*Huge thanks to Linda Cheng, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for providing the ARC of Gorgeous Gruesome Faces in audiobook format*
The story centers around Sunny, a fallen-from-grace star, as she navigates the gruesome incidents happening to the girls she’s competing with in a K-Pop competition. A completion she joined to reunite with her estranged best friend (and former co-star) Candie who disappeared from her life after the tragic loss of their other friend and co-star, Mina.
Told in alternating chapters of Then and Now, the competition continues as the number of victims grows and the past events leading up to Sunny and Candie’s estrangement are unraveled.
Filled with drama, scandal, and gore, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a fantastic example of YA Thrillers. I loved the concept and the writing.
This book ended up being 4 stars for me because I felt that while the novel as a whole was structured well, the pace of the novel fluctuated inconsistently. Some parts felt more rushed than I found myself hoping them to be. And there were moments I felt that I had missed something or wished that more time had been spent detailing some events or character relationships.
I was given the chance to read this book in audiobook format and the narrator was fantastic!
Overall, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces is a wonderful, fun read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys YA thrillers. Especially with a little scandal involved.
*Huge thanks to Linda Cheng, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for providing the ARC of Gorgeous Gruesome Faces in audiobook format*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Body horror, Toxic friendship, Suicide, and Suicide attempt