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raddreader 's review for:
Pretty Reckless
by L.J. Shen
Characters
Penn (high school senior): he is from the wrong side of the tracks and certainly has some rough edges to him. Underneath, he has a caring heart.
Daria (high school senior): she is a girl from the right side of the tracks who has the money, the popularity and is part of the cool “IT” crowd. She is super vindictive but the mean you see on the outside is the shield to cover how broken she is on the inside.
The Story
Daria, I wasn’t her biggest fan.
Penn, I loved.
Daria....oh boy. She is vicious and I was truly appalled by some of her choices and her behavior. Penn is actually the perfect balance to Daria as he sees through her crap and gives it back in spades. He can stand toe to toe with her and dish it right back. Of course, their undeniable chemistry doesn’t hurt any.
This story has some major high school angst and almost everyone seemed to have some type of mean, angry, vindictive, spiteful, jealous quality to them. Geez....what was in the water?
Apparently the kids in this book are the result of a spin off from the Sinners of Saints series, which told the stories of the parents. It’s not necessary to read the other series, but if you were a fan you will probably like reading about their kids.
Penn & Daria face lots of different situations in this book, and none of them are easy. There’s darkness and deep emotion, hurt, betrayal, misunderstandings and loyalty. And through all this turmoil, they fall down and rise up on their own and also by leaning on one another. By the end of the book, their trials have made them stronger and you know they will be able to endure life’s challenges together.
Overall
There is complexity to the layers that surround each character and certainly some intense and cringe-worthy moments. I wondered how the author would ever redeem Daria, but through masterful storytelling my heart began to thaw towards this character. Did I melt completely and become her cheerleader? No. But I did understand the depth of hurt inside of her, even if I didn’t agree with her actions.
Even though these characters are in high school, this didn’t feel like a YA book. There are definitely some sexy scenes and the mother had just as much growing and self reflection to do as her daughter. Therefore, the issues span across generations and make it relatable for many ages.
Now, having said that, when all is said and done I just can’t completely forgive Daria for her actions. Her first choice at 14 changed the trajectory of someone’s life for good....and not in a good way. And, her second choice at 18 was just so hurtful. Didn’t she learn anything from her actions 4 years ago?
Because I couldn’t fully forgive, I didn’t fully like the story. However, this is my issue and when a book is well written and weaves a great story, I can’t knock stars off just because the author didn’t write a character I could fully love.
Overall, if you are looking for a really angsty book that will evoke many emotions, has characters who have depth and is an incredibly well written story, pick this up.
Penn (high school senior): he is from the wrong side of the tracks and certainly has some rough edges to him. Underneath, he has a caring heart.
Daria (high school senior): she is a girl from the right side of the tracks who has the money, the popularity and is part of the cool “IT” crowd. She is super vindictive but the mean you see on the outside is the shield to cover how broken she is on the inside.
The Story
Daria, I wasn’t her biggest fan.
Penn, I loved.
Daria....oh boy. She is vicious and I was truly appalled by some of her choices and her behavior. Penn is actually the perfect balance to Daria as he sees through her crap and gives it back in spades. He can stand toe to toe with her and dish it right back. Of course, their undeniable chemistry doesn’t hurt any.
This story has some major high school angst and almost everyone seemed to have some type of mean, angry, vindictive, spiteful, jealous quality to them. Geez....what was in the water?
Apparently the kids in this book are the result of a spin off from the Sinners of Saints series, which told the stories of the parents. It’s not necessary to read the other series, but if you were a fan you will probably like reading about their kids.
Penn & Daria face lots of different situations in this book, and none of them are easy. There’s darkness and deep emotion, hurt, betrayal, misunderstandings and loyalty. And through all this turmoil, they fall down and rise up on their own and also by leaning on one another. By the end of the book, their trials have made them stronger and you know they will be able to endure life’s challenges together.
Overall
There is complexity to the layers that surround each character and certainly some intense and cringe-worthy moments. I wondered how the author would ever redeem Daria, but through masterful storytelling my heart began to thaw towards this character. Did I melt completely and become her cheerleader? No. But I did understand the depth of hurt inside of her, even if I didn’t agree with her actions.
Even though these characters are in high school, this didn’t feel like a YA book. There are definitely some sexy scenes and the mother had just as much growing and self reflection to do as her daughter. Therefore, the issues span across generations and make it relatable for many ages.
Now, having said that, when all is said and done I just can’t completely forgive Daria for her actions. Her first choice at 14 changed the trajectory of someone’s life for good....and not in a good way. And, her second choice at 18 was just so hurtful. Didn’t she learn anything from her actions 4 years ago?
Because I couldn’t fully forgive, I didn’t fully like the story. However, this is my issue and when a book is well written and weaves a great story, I can’t knock stars off just because the author didn’t write a character I could fully love.
Overall, if you are looking for a really angsty book that will evoke many emotions, has characters who have depth and is an incredibly well written story, pick this up.