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Dirty Girls
They were the boys any good girl knew to avoid.
Rich and privileged.
Gorgeous and cruel.
The poster boys for rebellion…their tongues so sharp they cut to the bone.
We worshipped them despite their dangerous games.
We laughed even as we cried.
It was all fun and games until the first dirty girl died.
Now, as the bodies pile up, I believe I can endure their wicked ways. Only time will tell if I’ll escape.
Because when wealthy boys are accustomed to getting everything they want, not even the lives of those around them are too high an asking price.
Rich and privileged.
Gorgeous and cruel.
The poster boys for rebellion…their tongues so sharp they cut to the bone.
We worshipped them despite their dangerous games.
We laughed even as we cried.
It was all fun and games until the first dirty girl died.
Now, as the bodies pile up, I believe I can endure their wicked ways. Only time will tell if I’ll escape.
Because when wealthy boys are accustomed to getting everything they want, not even the lives of those around them are too high an asking price.
345 pages, Paperback
First published January 22, 2020
262 people are currently reading
1330 people want to read
About the author
Lily White
35 books2,687 followersLily White is a bestselling author who likes to dabble on the dark side of romance. She is most known for her Masters Series, Target This, Wishing Well, and The Five.
When she isn’t writing as Lily White you can find other books by her under M.S. Willis where she has penned the Control Series, the Estate Series, and Because of Ellison (contemporary romance).
Lily enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.
When she isn’t writing as Lily White you can find other books by her under M.S. Willis where she has penned the Control Series, the Estate Series, and Because of Ellison (contemporary romance).
Lily enjoys stretching her writing muscles by continuing to challenge herself with each book she publishes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 198 reviews
January 29, 2020
'DIRTY GIRLS' Is a full length suspenseful dark read by Author Lily White. Spoken in 'Dual Perspective.' Olive aka Olly & Soren.
I have no idea what in the actual f#ck I just read!! Or even how to go about the writing up of this review! But what a crazy nail biting ride this one turned out to be! This book took me down a path I was not prepared for!! Straight away I was pulled into the sadistic games these boys play! Bodies of mutilated girls turning up, killer unknown, the FBI has their eye on someone, but are they wrong?
The mind games these boys played, so warped, so twisted, so f#cked up, girls and boys alike pledging themselves to the boys who rule the town with an iron fist.
So many twists and turns, so many times I thought I'd nailed down who the killer was only to be wrong!! This book keeps you on your toes and guessing throughout. The outcome was mind blowing!
It all started many years previously when a local girl was found dead and mutilated, the killer had never been brought to justice. Many think that Soren Callahan the man that's been serving time behind bars was the guilty party. And now that he's been released back into the world not that long after he's settling back into civilian life the murders start up again, each one more gruesome than the last.
Olive Reid is a senior at Winter Ridge Prep, on an academic scholarship in a small town nestled close to Seattle, where only the rich spoiled teens resided.
Olive refused to play the game like the rest of her comrades and adamantly refused to pledge which set her apart from the rest of her peers. She'd always been attracted to Soren Callahan, the King of Winter Ridge, who was also her brother Nolan's best friend.
He could stalk me, bully me, make demands and even clunk me over the head and drag me around like the cavemen he was, and I still wouldn't agree to be one of his groupies.
January 24, 2020
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person – Multiple
Rating:
Olive Reid lived in the small town of Winter Ridge where the rich kids’ favorite past time was to torment each other as entertainment. But the game quickly became deadly when bodies started to show up.
I liked both of the male characters. One was dark and sexy while the other one grated my nerves but also alluring. Olive while seemed plain and meek, knew when to show her teeth when needed. But there were also plenty of times I wanted to drop kick her (and many other characters) for the decisions made.
I enjoyed the storyline and loved how it made me feel - in this case, angry. I love books that make me speculate about the characters and this book is one of them. Throughout the book, I had my theories but the author did a good job with the twist.
Dirty Girls is a story of fitting in and revenge. It would appeal to fans of romantic suspense with bully dynamics.
🔪 👠 🔪 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC & Loyda . . . 🔪 👠 🔪
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person – Multiple
Rating:
Olive Reid lived in the small town of Winter Ridge where the rich kids’ favorite past time was to torment each other as entertainment. But the game quickly became deadly when bodies started to show up.
He wasn’t the type of predator who bruises the body and drags you off. No, he was the type who seduces you slowly, stealing your thoughts away while you stop dead in your tracks unable to move, to run, to escape. It only made him more dangerous.
I liked both of the male characters. One was dark and sexy while the other one grated my nerves but also alluring. Olive while seemed plain and meek, knew when to show her teeth when needed. But there were also plenty of times I wanted to drop kick her (and many other characters) for the decisions made.
I wasn’t a monster. Not like Soren and them. So why did it feel like I was slowly turning into one, all because I’d ignored my brother’s warning and had gotten too close?
I enjoyed the storyline and loved how it made me feel - in this case, angry. I love books that make me speculate about the characters and this book is one of them. Throughout the book, I had my theories but the author did a good job with the twist.
Dirty Girls is a story of fitting in and revenge. It would appeal to fans of romantic suspense with bully dynamics.
🔪 👠 🔪 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC & Loyda . . . 🔪 👠 🔪
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
February 24, 2020
I don't think I've ever wanted to murder so many characters in one book before. 😂 That being said, this author has my attention. I can't wait to read more of her work. 😍
January 26, 2020
Olive Reid is a high school senior in a small town filled with wealthy spoiled teens. As one to go against the popular crowd, Olive refused to pledge and be a part of the “cool” kids. But Olive was always attracted to Soren Callahan, the ringleader of the social strata. In the wake of an unsolved murder, Soren is returning to town and most are ready to move on until the FBI arrives.
“You might as well get used to the fact that you’ve been claimed, Little Olly. There’s not a single motherfucker out there who will get in my way when it comes to you.”
Interestingly, the narrative unfolds with multiple perspectives which creates suspense throughout the story. As the investigation continues, Olive tries to maintain her normal routine despite the building clues. While I had my suspicions as to who the killer was, I enjoyed the reveal as it all tied into the ongoing plot and characters.
“Is this what bullies did when they had blown past the usual boring pranks and careened head first into true torture?”
What I liked about Olive is that she didn’t take family or friends for granted, nor did she fall in line with others. As for Soren and the secondary characters they incited a range of emotions based on their choices. I was also intrigued by Jonah and his brother; however, Jonah’s role fell a little flatter than I had hoped. That said, he added a good dynamic to the overall landscape.
With a plot full of many characters and a carefully constructed world of self-interest and coercion, Dirty Girls is a romance suspense that will leave you wondering who is the killer is until the very end.
*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey and Loyda!*
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May 14, 2022
This town is a trip because apparently it’s run by the in-crowd that’s run by a man named Soren that’s just been released from prison.
Olive doesn’t want anything to do with the popular kids, she certainly doesn’t want to pledge in their nefarious group. But Soren will do anything to make her change her mind.
If this group wasn’t causing enough shenanigans, dead girls keep popping up and they’re all related to the group.
Apparently nobody has heard of karma but she’s a bitch and she’s come a-calling.
Lily White is becoming a top author for me in no time. She’s brilliant at drawing you into the most deplorable situations and making you beg for more. Don’t even get me started on how stellar she is at red herrings.
I didn’t know what the hell was going on at so many points. Honestly for the most part, I was just here for the ride and it was a bumpy one.
On a different point, let me talk a little about the highlight of this story. And that is Soren. I pretty much felt every which way for his character. Whether you love him or hate him, you’re interested in everything he does.
Ready for a crazy adventure? Then buckle up and let’s go for a ride.
Olive doesn’t want anything to do with the popular kids, she certainly doesn’t want to pledge in their nefarious group. But Soren will do anything to make her change her mind.
If this group wasn’t causing enough shenanigans, dead girls keep popping up and they’re all related to the group.
Apparently nobody has heard of karma but she’s a bitch and she’s come a-calling.
Lily White is becoming a top author for me in no time. She’s brilliant at drawing you into the most deplorable situations and making you beg for more. Don’t even get me started on how stellar she is at red herrings.
I didn’t know what the hell was going on at so many points. Honestly for the most part, I was just here for the ride and it was a bumpy one.
On a different point, let me talk a little about the highlight of this story. And that is Soren. I pretty much felt every which way for his character. Whether you love him or hate him, you’re interested in everything he does.
Ready for a crazy adventure? Then buckle up and let’s go for a ride.
February 12, 2020
So on second thoughts even though I still think it was one of the better bully stories, I down rated it to 3* as I find it really bugs me when I don’t get a straight answer about certain things. My question is did he sleep with ow after getting out of prison? I know he said he did to h but his POV seemed like he was so into h that with those feelings I can’t believe he would. Honestly I just want to know one way or another as that something very important to a lot of readers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2020
Gah...I really really REALLY wanted to like this. I just can't though....
I like "bully" romances and I like asshole Hero's BUT they have to be redeemable! Sadly, this guy was most def NOT redeemable. He was obsessed with the heroine but let OW get up in his lap, made out with them, and basically showed NO devotion to the heroine till the very end. And don't even get me started on how he "ruled" over everything.
The heroine was ok...she stood up for herself for the most part but I was severely let down by her actions at the end. For acting and generally being so tough she rolled over and forgave the truly abhorrent behavior of the hero, his friends, and her brother too quickly. She was in fear for her life, not joking here...they kidnapped her, hunted her down, tied her to a chair, presented instruments that they were going to torture her, thought she was going to be raped by each of them, and when it came out that it was just a joke she was like "oh, ok..."
sorry...you just lost ALL of your coolness points due to becoming completely stupid.
Then the ending was a HUGE let down....she passes out after being almost beat to death and the next chapter starts the epilogue 8 months in the future?? What happened when she was found, what happened to the killer, WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED???? I guess I'll really never know...
However, I did like the suspense and I did like the twist as to who the killer really was. I also liked the FBI agent an I'll def be looking into his story
I like "bully" romances and I like asshole Hero's BUT they have to be redeemable! Sadly, this guy was most def NOT redeemable. He was obsessed with the heroine but let OW get up in his lap, made out with them, and basically showed NO devotion to the heroine till the very end. And don't even get me started on how he "ruled" over everything.
The heroine was ok...she stood up for herself for the most part but I was severely let down by her actions at the end. For acting and generally being so tough she rolled over and forgave the truly abhorrent behavior of the hero, his friends, and her brother too quickly. She was in fear for her life, not joking here...they kidnapped her, hunted her down, tied her to a chair, presented instruments that they were going to torture her, thought she was going to be raped by each of them, and when it came out that it was just a joke she was like "oh, ok..."
sorry...you just lost ALL of your coolness points due to becoming completely stupid.
Then the ending was a HUGE let down....she passes out after being almost beat to death and the next chapter starts the epilogue 8 months in the future?? What happened when she was found, what happened to the killer, WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED???? I guess I'll really never know...
However, I did like the suspense and I did like the twist as to who the killer really was. I also liked the FBI agent an I'll def be looking into his story
February 12, 2020
I can’t wait for book! ❤️
May 11, 2020
4.5★★★★Stars
Genre:
Romantic Suspense
Type:
Standalone
POV:
First Person – Multiple
"When you strip away the lies they use to build themselves up, bullies are nothing more than silhouettes and shadows with no substance, no truth, and no warmth."
Olive Reid had to learn to adapt in the small town she lived after the terrible accident where both of her parents passed away in. With all the entitled rich kids in town she can only try to ignore them and hope for the best. Her brother took care of her and even though she hated being around his friends she had no choice in the matter. She worked in the small town's diner and went to school in the day time but life was not that simple specially when girls started dying in plain site.
"The town's darling prom queen was plastered over every front page with the grim reminder that nobody in this world is safe."
I honestly went into this book blind which is what I prefer because nothing prepared me for this story. Told on multiple point of views we get a story full of characters, full of suspense and mystery but also bullying. The mystery of the sudden deaths caught my interest and the involvement of the detective just got me addicted to the story, the bullying not so much it literally made my stomach sick and I was extremely angry in several scenes. The romance had my insides and my heart in a twist because I found myself conflicted. One minute I was all in love with the hero the next I wanted to hurt him haha.
"That's the real cruelty, to love someone who hurts you, to feel your heart swell while they tear your soul apart."
The author does an excellent job teasing the reader on which male character to choose from. One is dark and mysterious, the other is bad boy but intense. I don't trust either of their intentions but I also love both of them. I feel the author delivered some wicket twisted plot that left me speechless and yet satisfied because I totally did not see it coming.
"He was the type who seduces you slowly, stealing your thoughts away while you stop dead in your tracks unable to move, to run, to escape."
Overall; Dirty Girls was intense, it was greedy, it was raw, it was full of feels specially some angry ones. I had to really think about my rating due to one specific scene I still cannot get over and will not forgive so easily hahaha. I truly enjoy this story from beginning to end. Readers looking for an intense romantic suspense story will find this book appealing.
"There was nothing in the heavens that was more beautiful than a girl who gave the finger to the world and marched to the beat of her own drum."
...This was a F(BR) with CC & War...
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June 22, 2023
3.75 ⭐️
Wtaf 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ok so the first half SLAPPED, I was gripped af, I couldn’t work out who the love interest was, who the killer was, I loved the small town creepy vibes. I was betting on a 4.5⭐️ read at least.
But the second half kinda flatlined, I expected the romance to pick up and it didn’t.
My number one rule when it comes to Bully romance (even enemies to lovers to a degree) is THE GROVEL. If that man isn’t on his knees begging or showing just how much he loves his woman with his actions then you’ve lost me. And as a consequence, I didn’t love Soren 🫠 he had some declarations which were cute but that’s not enough honey. I’m a taker and I need more.
Jonah’s POV was a waste of time. Totally unnecessary.
I can’t STAND it when girls call each other ‘bitches’ as friends 😐😐. Once or twice is fine, but every time they converse NO. Am I reading Say You Swear again? I thought erased that book from my memory. ‘Bitch/bitches’ is so old and done now. I’m also the furthest thing from a feminist when I wanna be lol but the blatant slut shaming, from both the FMC and the guys was not it. Just bc a girl is sat in a guys lap does not make her a slut. It’s uninventive and lacks creativity. Find a better insult babe.
I can sit here and say the characters lacked depth (which they did, they weren’t the brightest sparks), the writing was somewhat lazy, the whole pledges thing was RIDICULOUS not to mention undeveloped, and it was definitely more plot driven BUT DID I HAVE A GOOD TIME? WOULD I RECOMMEND? WELL Does a 🐻 💩 in the woods? Absolutely.
I didn’t guess who the killer was, no flipping idea. I flip flopped multiple times which is always good. The last 20% made me roll with its wildness 🤣🤣
Yuno this book would be included in a dark romance starter pack. I had a hoot! 🤣
Wtaf 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ok so the first half SLAPPED, I was gripped af, I couldn’t work out who the love interest was, who the killer was, I loved the small town creepy vibes. I was betting on a 4.5⭐️ read at least.
But the second half kinda flatlined, I expected the romance to pick up and it didn’t.
My number one rule when it comes to Bully romance (even enemies to lovers to a degree) is THE GROVEL. If that man isn’t on his knees begging or showing just how much he loves his woman with his actions then you’ve lost me. And as a consequence, I didn’t love Soren 🫠 he had some declarations which were cute but that’s not enough honey. I’m a taker and I need more.
Jonah’s POV was a waste of time. Totally unnecessary.
I can’t STAND it when girls call each other ‘bitches’ as friends 😐😐. Once or twice is fine, but every time they converse NO. Am I reading Say You Swear again? I thought erased that book from my memory. ‘Bitch/bitches’ is so old and done now. I’m also the furthest thing from a feminist when I wanna be lol but the blatant slut shaming, from both the FMC and the guys was not it. Just bc a girl is sat in a guys lap does not make her a slut. It’s uninventive and lacks creativity. Find a better insult babe.
I can sit here and say the characters lacked depth (which they did, they weren’t the brightest sparks), the writing was somewhat lazy, the whole pledges thing was RIDICULOUS not to mention undeveloped, and it was definitely more plot driven BUT DID I HAVE A GOOD TIME? WOULD I RECOMMEND? WELL Does a 🐻 💩 in the woods? Absolutely.
I didn’t guess who the killer was, no flipping idea. I flip flopped multiple times which is always good. The last 20% made me roll with its wildness 🤣🤣
Yuno this book would be included in a dark romance starter pack. I had a hoot! 🤣
January 5, 2025
Lily White, lets just get one or two things clear here. I DON'T do New Adult and I most certainly DO NOT DO bully romances. So just what witchcraft did you perform to make me love this books so much? Actually this is more psychological who-dunnit than anything else, there isn't really anything that makes it a romance in the traditional sense, though ultimately there is a Hero, a heroine and a HFN ending.
The hierarchy of an American high school is clearly unlike anything to be found in most British state schools. No students hold that sort of sway and power over so many others, though I've never worked in the private sector so whose to say what happens there? It did mean I had to swallow a tiny pill of disbelief for this story to work, but I honestly didn't care because this book had me hooked on it as much as Soren does the teens of Winter Ridge. I simply couldn't put this book down, and may even have screeched like a banshee when my husband attempted to engage me in a conversation whilst I was reading it.
I also blame the author because she ratcheted the tension so high I felt as though I was walking the edge of a sword blade. It started with Soren and the threat he brought into Olive's life, it continued with his bullying of her (which thankfully was more of a garnish to the story than the main dish) and continued when doubts started to creep in about her brother, Nathan. This book contains clues, foreshadowing and red herrings galore and whilst I spotted the easter egg when Grady almost spilt the beans on Kendall's task of two years ago, the detailed truth of it was a total shocker!
There were times, particularly in the first third of the book, where I really wanted to smack Olive for her stupid decisions. Then I had to remind myself that she was barely 18 and with no one to rely on. Whilst my adult mind was shrieking "go tell the cops", I know full well that wouldn't have been my reaction as a barely new adult. So yes, once I cut her some slack I was fully on #TeamOlive. She had backbone, she had drive and she cared. She cared about what was right and wrong, she cared about others feelings but she didn't care about fitting in or being part of the crowd. That said, I'm not so sure I'd have jumped in to stop Jonah and the cops after the stupid stunt the 4 guys pulled, and it really wasn't the believable action of a guy who was in lust/love/ obsessed by her, nor that of a caring brother. In fact my biggest gripe was that Nathan's character was too inconsistent and bent too much in order to fit the story.
Until almost the very end you had no idea who the murderer was, there were simply too many suspects to know for sure. What was really great was that the author slowly threw us a bone every now and then, a snippet of information, an admission or truth designed to lead us astray as often as to point us in the right direction. The clues are all there to see, but so cleverly woven amidst other facts that it's like one of those maze puzzles with a multitude of false starts and dead ends. But there was no 'one big secret' dangled just out of reach for the entire book and revealed at the end, like some authors do when trying to write a book of this calibre whilst failing badly.
Welcome back, Oh Mistress of the depraved, twisted and wrong. Your humble readers have missed you so.
January 30, 2020
“You might as well get used to the fact that you’ve been claimed, Little Olly. There’s not a single motherfucker out there who will get in my way when it comes to you."
Here is a story that utterly gripped me!
Ms White transported me into a little town where girls go missing and whose bodies reappear in the most gruesome stagings.
I felt sucked into the oppressive atmosphere, where parties, bullies, insecurity and competition between the teenagers rhythm the plot.
The characters intrigued me, they kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering who was involved and elaborating theories about their motive.
Soren is definitely a anti-hero I loved hating, at first, and then just loved. The power games, the mindfucks, the escalating tension were incredibly well written.
"He was the type that could hold a knife to your throat and somehow make you like it."
I felt every one of Olive's fears, doubts and boiling rage, each time Soren tormented her. She cetatinly is a tough girl!
"Every day I thought I couldn’t possibly hate Soren more. And every day he did something else that showed me there truly were no limits as to how much I could detest him."
I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK. THANK YOU!!!
Here is a story that utterly gripped me!
Ms White transported me into a little town where girls go missing and whose bodies reappear in the most gruesome stagings.
I felt sucked into the oppressive atmosphere, where parties, bullies, insecurity and competition between the teenagers rhythm the plot.
The characters intrigued me, they kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering who was involved and elaborating theories about their motive.
Soren is definitely a anti-hero I loved hating, at first, and then just loved. The power games, the mindfucks, the escalating tension were incredibly well written.
"He was the type that could hold a knife to your throat and somehow make you like it."
I felt every one of Olive's fears, doubts and boiling rage, each time Soren tormented her. She cetatinly is a tough girl!
"Every day I thought I couldn’t possibly hate Soren more. And every day he did something else that showed me there truly were no limits as to how much I could detest him."
I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK. THANK YOU!!!
January 20, 2020
Without a doubt, if you didn't already know, Lily White has the magic touch at writing dark and delicious stories. The minute I started Dirty Girls I was sucked in and could not stop reading until the very last page. This story was sexy, suspenseful and so damn addicting it will take your breath away!!
Without giving anything away, this story is a rollercoaster of epic proportions. Dirty Girls was dark, edgy, suspenseful and filled with a cruel and dangerous group of privileged and elite men and the people who danced to their every tune. I LOVED this story. Olive was strong, resilient and gave as good as she got. She stood up for herself and was quite a match for all the mindgames and threats thrown at her.
I loved how in one minute I was on edge and unnerved and then seconds later was exhilarated and wondering what would happen next. I loved the fiery chemistry, danger and all of the charismatic characters. This was another amazing Lily White winner!! I can't wait for more! 5 stars! ~Ratula ❤
Without giving anything away, this story is a rollercoaster of epic proportions. Dirty Girls was dark, edgy, suspenseful and filled with a cruel and dangerous group of privileged and elite men and the people who danced to their every tune. I LOVED this story. Olive was strong, resilient and gave as good as she got. She stood up for herself and was quite a match for all the mindgames and threats thrown at her.
I loved how in one minute I was on edge and unnerved and then seconds later was exhilarated and wondering what would happen next. I loved the fiery chemistry, danger and all of the charismatic characters. This was another amazing Lily White winner!! I can't wait for more! 5 stars! ~Ratula ❤
January 24, 2020
Lily is back and how!! 2019 added some more twists into her already warped sense of humour. As it is she penned hard hitting, gut sickening stories earlier. Now add to that the Bully, HS drama complete with mean girls posse, frat like secret societies for the rich brats and you're sure to be reaching out for popcorn to enjoy the ruthless story.
"That’s the thing with bullies: They only have the platform that we give them. Their pedestal teeters dangerously on the backs of every person that foolishly believes there’s something special about them."
There's every kind of ingredient in this boiling pot. There's threats, pledges, parties, drugs, booze and bullying of the worst kinds. Lily doesn't just simply create egotistical HSchoolers, she makes them demi gods who run the town, rule the pompous & entitled minions, make them do their deviant and devious bidding and then they sit back and have fun at their expense.
"There are predators in this world. They play. They laugh. They tease. And they taunt. They’re hungry. Ravished. So empty they can never be filled. "
But.....a girl turns up dead!
That's when things take a serious turn.
There's a thrumming live wire of danger running across the story. It sends out lethal energy in a contaminated zone. You can feel the violence in the background. It's not masked well by the boisterous parties happening non stop in the forefront. There's always more than what meets the eye at every point in the story.!
You know it's coming....the killer is right there, Hiding in plain sight. It has an agenda, to rid the town of all the Dirty Girls
And who fits into that category........Aaaaaaah, that's a million dollar question
Mystery and intrigue builds in momentum, psychological mind games race towards the finish line and barbarity and atrocity threaten to break record. Its a nail biting story, will surely make you cringe and gasp, but remember it's happening all around us in real time too.
"Social circles are bullshit. The need to conform is weak. The desire to be accepted to a point where you’ll do what everyone tells you is pathetic. "
Truth is generally stranger than fiction, which makes lily not only an author but a recounter of social and moral crimes. She's spotlighting what is wrong in the younger generation world nowadays. The peer pressure, the need to be cool and be accepted in the hip crowd. The one upmanship and the stupidity of throwing a challenge and even foolhardy to accept it, lest you be jeered at. Fragile reputations built of nefarious activities and their 15 seconds of fame lead these blooming idiots into the rabbit hole.
"If I take your money, your friends, your looks, your possessions, your high power career, your clothes and your lies...what’s left for you to call yourself?
Nothing.
You’re naked.
Vulnerable.
And there’s nobody left to hold you up.
How high is your pedestal now?"
I was more scared of the fact that all this is very present and clear danger Right Now, Right Around . It's not a mythical tale of what could happen, what shall happen. No! IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING
That the scariest part of it all!!
This eye opening story should be MUST READ for all
Thrilling, scary and challenging, it shook me up awake and made me hyper aware of evil lurking all around me, gaining stature and strength through social media.
4.5 stars for Søren the Predator
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"That’s the thing with bullies: They only have the platform that we give them. Their pedestal teeters dangerously on the backs of every person that foolishly believes there’s something special about them."
There's every kind of ingredient in this boiling pot. There's threats, pledges, parties, drugs, booze and bullying of the worst kinds. Lily doesn't just simply create egotistical HSchoolers, she makes them demi gods who run the town, rule the pompous & entitled minions, make them do their deviant and devious bidding and then they sit back and have fun at their expense.
"There are predators in this world. They play. They laugh. They tease. And they taunt. They’re hungry. Ravished. So empty they can never be filled. "
But.....a girl turns up dead!
That's when things take a serious turn.
There's a thrumming live wire of danger running across the story. It sends out lethal energy in a contaminated zone. You can feel the violence in the background. It's not masked well by the boisterous parties happening non stop in the forefront. There's always more than what meets the eye at every point in the story.!
You know it's coming....the killer is right there, Hiding in plain sight. It has an agenda, to rid the town of all the Dirty Girls
And who fits into that category........Aaaaaaah, that's a million dollar question
Mystery and intrigue builds in momentum, psychological mind games race towards the finish line and barbarity and atrocity threaten to break record. Its a nail biting story, will surely make you cringe and gasp, but remember it's happening all around us in real time too.
"Social circles are bullshit. The need to conform is weak. The desire to be accepted to a point where you’ll do what everyone tells you is pathetic. "
Truth is generally stranger than fiction, which makes lily not only an author but a recounter of social and moral crimes. She's spotlighting what is wrong in the younger generation world nowadays. The peer pressure, the need to be cool and be accepted in the hip crowd. The one upmanship and the stupidity of throwing a challenge and even foolhardy to accept it, lest you be jeered at. Fragile reputations built of nefarious activities and their 15 seconds of fame lead these blooming idiots into the rabbit hole.
"If I take your money, your friends, your looks, your possessions, your high power career, your clothes and your lies...what’s left for you to call yourself?
Nothing.
You’re naked.
Vulnerable.
And there’s nobody left to hold you up.
How high is your pedestal now?"
I was more scared of the fact that all this is very present and clear danger Right Now, Right Around . It's not a mythical tale of what could happen, what shall happen. No! IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING
That the scariest part of it all!!
This eye opening story should be MUST READ for all
Thrilling, scary and challenging, it shook me up awake and made me hyper aware of evil lurking all around me, gaining stature and strength through social media.
4.5 stars for Søren the Predator
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July 24, 2020
Release Date: January 22, 2020
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Dark Romance | Bully Romance | Murder Mystery
𝙻𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎'𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜. 𝚂𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚜!
A bully romance with dark themes AND a murder mystery? You bet your ass I wanted to read this one. Lily White has always written unique romances that teeter on the romance side and show more darkness than anything else. This is why I’m always on the lookout for a newly published book by her. There’s something so consuming about these reads that once you pick them up you have a hard time putting them down. I actually don’t think I’ve ever read any other books quite like hers and I hope that she writes them for a very long time. I don’t think I could get by without a Lily White fix in my life!
This book has EVERYTHING I LOVE in a novel. You get a dark romance that sometimes doesn’t feel so consensual (don’t worry, this will make sense when you read it), a bully theme (feast your eyes on Soren ladies, he’s KILLER), and even a murder mystery where teen girls are essentially getting slaughtered and no one knows who is behind it. How she managed to pull together a book with all this goodness is beyond me, but I would love to see many more like this in the future.
While I did feel like the big reveal was a bit to quick (everything happened so fast and we never got to “ride it out” and feel the tension), it was DARKLY DELICIOUS and completely unexpected. I had a feeling towards the end as to who the killer was and I was right, but it was so close to the end that I didn’t feel any disappointment about the reveal. This is a big win for me!
Anyway, I won’t give away the entire plot because this book (and all her others) need to be experienced by the reader. I do hope that you’ll consider her novels especially if you’re a dark romance fan!
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Dark Romance | Bully Romance | Murder Mystery
𝙻𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎'𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖 𝚍𝚎𝚟𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜. 𝚂𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚊 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚜!
A bully romance with dark themes AND a murder mystery? You bet your ass I wanted to read this one. Lily White has always written unique romances that teeter on the romance side and show more darkness than anything else. This is why I’m always on the lookout for a newly published book by her. There’s something so consuming about these reads that once you pick them up you have a hard time putting them down. I actually don’t think I’ve ever read any other books quite like hers and I hope that she writes them for a very long time. I don’t think I could get by without a Lily White fix in my life!
This book has EVERYTHING I LOVE in a novel. You get a dark romance that sometimes doesn’t feel so consensual (don’t worry, this will make sense when you read it), a bully theme (feast your eyes on Soren ladies, he’s KILLER), and even a murder mystery where teen girls are essentially getting slaughtered and no one knows who is behind it. How she managed to pull together a book with all this goodness is beyond me, but I would love to see many more like this in the future.
While I did feel like the big reveal was a bit to quick (everything happened so fast and we never got to “ride it out” and feel the tension), it was DARKLY DELICIOUS and completely unexpected. I had a feeling towards the end as to who the killer was and I was right, but it was so close to the end that I didn’t feel any disappointment about the reveal. This is a big win for me!
Anyway, I won’t give away the entire plot because this book (and all her others) need to be experienced by the reader. I do hope that you’ll consider her novels especially if you’re a dark romance fan!
February 1, 2020
3.5 Stars 🌟
August 7, 2020
3.5
I found this book weirdly unique; I’ve never read anything quite like it. The best visual I can give is eating a sandwich with a piece of bread and a hamburger bun… it worked, but was also odd. It basically has 2 tropes smashed together. One ½ is a bully romance with adult-acting, violent, rich kids, and the other ½ reads like a domestic thriller. It’s told in dual pov’s of Olive, a senior whose involved in a love/hate relationship with her brother’s BFF Soren the King of the group. She was a fairly strong h, but could be immature acting too. AND Jonah, a FBI agent trying to solve a murder.
I’m not going to go deep, because you need a level of cluelessness to really enjoy, but the format wasn’t my favorite. The “romance” was ok, but we're missing Soren’s POV which (for me) would have been better. That said, IMO it was pretty obvious what was going on, so it wasn’t awful either. The mystery was pretty good, and I am looking forward to Jonah’s book (author’s note said A Midnight Game due May 2020, I don’t see it yet) but it didn’t mesh perfectly, because our two “narrators” did interact some, but not a ton, and Jonah felt like a secondary character. So, to me, it flowed like 2 plots, rather than 1. (hopefully this makes sense😊)
Bottom Line- Although I didn’t LOVE this like many; I do have respect for the creativity, and it kept me up until 3am, so I’m rounding up. I liked the concept; it just was missing something. I almost think it would have worked better to have Soren & Olly as the main POV’s with Jonah’s sprinkled in throughout to introduce him for the next book, but kept him in the background, because their story was the main focus. Regardless, it free on KU, so give it a shot.
**For the safety folks… this is pretty violent, (murder/mutilation) some “pledges” are put in pretty degrading situations, but they go along freely (no-force) It’s a bit gray, but I truly feel the H is faithful. (even though they aren’t really a couple yet) Early on he makes a flippant comment about “how do you know I haven’t been with someone” but I think it was talk to get a rise out of our h, because all his actions speak otherwise. A couple skanks sit on his lap, but it’s not really a big deal… other shit is going on.
I found this book weirdly unique; I’ve never read anything quite like it. The best visual I can give is eating a sandwich with a piece of bread and a hamburger bun… it worked, but was also odd. It basically has 2 tropes smashed together. One ½ is a bully romance with adult-acting, violent, rich kids, and the other ½ reads like a domestic thriller. It’s told in dual pov’s of Olive, a senior whose involved in a love/hate relationship with her brother’s BFF Soren the King of the group. She was a fairly strong h, but could be immature acting too. AND Jonah, a FBI agent trying to solve a murder.
I’m not going to go deep, because you need a level of cluelessness to really enjoy, but the format wasn’t my favorite. The “romance” was ok, but we're missing Soren’s POV which (for me) would have been better. That said, IMO it was pretty obvious what was going on, so it wasn’t awful either. The mystery was pretty good, and I am looking forward to Jonah’s book (author’s note said A Midnight Game due May 2020, I don’t see it yet) but it didn’t mesh perfectly, because our two “narrators” did interact some, but not a ton, and Jonah felt like a secondary character. So, to me, it flowed like 2 plots, rather than 1. (hopefully this makes sense😊)
Bottom Line- Although I didn’t LOVE this like many; I do have respect for the creativity, and it kept me up until 3am, so I’m rounding up. I liked the concept; it just was missing something. I almost think it would have worked better to have Soren & Olly as the main POV’s with Jonah’s sprinkled in throughout to introduce him for the next book, but kept him in the background, because their story was the main focus. Regardless, it free on KU, so give it a shot.
**For the safety folks… this is pretty violent, (murder/mutilation) some “pledges” are put in pretty degrading situations, but they go along freely (no-force) It’s a bit gray, but I truly feel the H is faithful. (even though they aren’t really a couple yet) Early on he makes a flippant comment about “how do you know I haven’t been with someone” but I think it was talk to get a rise out of our h, because all his actions speak otherwise. A couple skanks sit on his lap, but it’s not really a big deal… other shit is going on.
February 5, 2020
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are so many people in this world desperate to be seen. Are you one of them?
I want to preface this review with the disclaimer that I am a big Lily White fan. That being said, I have noticed that I prefer her darker stories- as in the darker, the better. This one, while not light by any means, definitely isn't as dark as a lot of her other stories (I would call it medium dark). It's really more of a thriller, and if you take that into account, then it is important to note that the book was very suspenseful. I read it in a day, which is pretty unheard of for me these days. I was very interested, so that's why I gave it a solid 4 stars. Still, the story had flaws, it was just that the flaws were... not that big of a deal. In other words, they didn't detract from my interest in the story.
Maybe that’s just what life is like for bored rich kids. Money alone isn’t enough to keep them interested, so they have to come up with other ways to get in trouble.
The setting is Winter Ridge, Washington, an affluent town that I believe was meant to be just outside of Seattle. The young people living here are the stereotype of neglected, spoiled rich kids: bored, vapid, and unbelievably cruel. By the time the story starts, a teenage girl has been brutally murdered. We primarily hear the story from two POVs, that of Olive and Jonah. (Unlike a lot of romance stories, they are not each other's love interest. Instead, we hear from these two because they tell us about the case from both the inside and outside, which I thought was super cool). Jonah is a federal agent brought in to consult on the unsolved murder of Teagan McKay. He also grew up near Winter Ridge, but moved away when he had the chance, thus he knows the area. He is also the brother of the funeral home director, Calvin. We learn early on that Calvin has some developmental problems, but that he is very good at his job. The relationship between Calvin and Jonah is an extra layer that adds some much-needed depth to the story. I also really liked that Jonah's POV allowed us to hear what law enforcement was thinking. But really, Jonah was just an intriguing character. It takes a special kind of person to be able to hunt monsters and not become one (or... at least hide it well!)
If anything, that man belonged in a penthouse of some type, sipping champagne while the world revolved around him. Either that, or in a basement somewhere, his hand covering a victim’s mouth, daring them to scream.
Now, let's get to our inside source. Olive is a senior at Winter Ridge Prep, the private school where all these kids go. She should've graduated, but she took a leave of absence when her parents passed away in a car accident. In the meantime, her brother Nolan has taken over as her guardian. Unlike everyone else in Winter Ridge, they struggle to pay the bills, thus both Nolan and Olly have jobs. Nolan is best friends with Soren, who Olly can't help but be drawn to, even though she knows he is dangerous. And he is dangerous; at the beginning of the story, he is just getting out of prison. He is also one of the main suspects in the murder of Teagan McKay. Let me be clear: Olly was a large part of the reason why this book earned 4 stars in spite of some faults. Anyone who reads my reviews knows I put a lot of importance into a heroine. I like them strong but relatable, and yes, I realize this isn't always an easy feat, thus I am very impressed when it is achieved. And yes, somehow Lily White wrote a strong, relatable 18-year-old girl in what amounts to a bully romance read. Olly somehow developed strong morals in a place where this wasn't valued. She did make some poor decisions, but again, she was 18. Yes, she forgave Soren too quickly more than one time, but I understood why; she didn't really have anyone watching out for her, and even though he could be a dick, he also protected her more than once, too. I can only image how confusing Soren's behavior would be to a teenager who feels alone in the world, especially when you add physical attraction to the mix. Still, she never compromised who she was for him, and at the end of the day that was what made me love her. She may have been drawn to him, but she definitely wasn't blind to who he really was.
Every day I thought I couldn’t possibly hate Soren more. And every day he did something else that showed me there truly were no limits as to how much I could detest him.
He could stalk me, bully me, make demands and even clunk me over the head and drag me around like the caveman he was, and I still wouldn’t agree to be one of his groupies.
I thought maybe...and maybe is a dangerous word when you’re dancing with the devil. Maybe let’s you believe his intentions might not be as horrible as you know they are.
So far, I have spoken about the story's strengths: Jonah, Olly, the suspense, and the murder-mystery aspect of the plot. I even liked the ending; it made sense and there was a powerful message that I think anyone of any age could learn from. However, there were a few problems, too. In an effort to further the whodunit aspect of the story, ALL of the other characters (everyone besides Jonah and Olly) were pretty much a mystery. I never really felt like I knew them, which means I never really cared about them, either. Also, there were a few red herrings thrown in there that completely contradicted someone's character, and then this was never fully explained or resolved. Once the truth came out, we were just supposed to forget about all those little things that were thrown in there, but I couldn't! Basically, I just feel like the murder mystery canceled out any attempt at character development. The story just wasn't as tight as I have come to expect from Lily, nor did it invoke the usual emotional response, but that doesn't mean the read itself wasn't enjoyable. I would recommend this story to anyone that likes bully romances, as well as a medium-dark read.
Everybody assumes a rich boy is always the snobby class president, the brutish jock, or the insufferable playboy that defines his worth by the value of his toys...what they don’t know is that, sometimes, the rich boys will break all the stereotypes and become something much darker when they get bored.
I couldn’t deny that there weren’t similarities between the psychopaths that roamed this world and the men who chased them.
The moon and stars couldn’t quite compare. The sun wasn’t bright enough to hold a candle to her. There was nothing in the heavens that was more beautiful than a girl who gave the finger to the world and marched to the beat of her own drum.
There are so many people in this world desperate to be seen. Are you one of them?
I want to preface this review with the disclaimer that I am a big Lily White fan. That being said, I have noticed that I prefer her darker stories- as in the darker, the better. This one, while not light by any means, definitely isn't as dark as a lot of her other stories (I would call it medium dark). It's really more of a thriller, and if you take that into account, then it is important to note that the book was very suspenseful. I read it in a day, which is pretty unheard of for me these days. I was very interested, so that's why I gave it a solid 4 stars. Still, the story had flaws, it was just that the flaws were... not that big of a deal. In other words, they didn't detract from my interest in the story.
Maybe that’s just what life is like for bored rich kids. Money alone isn’t enough to keep them interested, so they have to come up with other ways to get in trouble.
The setting is Winter Ridge, Washington, an affluent town that I believe was meant to be just outside of Seattle. The young people living here are the stereotype of neglected, spoiled rich kids: bored, vapid, and unbelievably cruel. By the time the story starts, a teenage girl has been brutally murdered. We primarily hear the story from two POVs, that of Olive and Jonah. (Unlike a lot of romance stories, they are not each other's love interest. Instead, we hear from these two because they tell us about the case from both the inside and outside, which I thought was super cool). Jonah is a federal agent brought in to consult on the unsolved murder of Teagan McKay. He also grew up near Winter Ridge, but moved away when he had the chance, thus he knows the area. He is also the brother of the funeral home director, Calvin. We learn early on that Calvin has some developmental problems, but that he is very good at his job. The relationship between Calvin and Jonah is an extra layer that adds some much-needed depth to the story. I also really liked that Jonah's POV allowed us to hear what law enforcement was thinking. But really, Jonah was just an intriguing character. It takes a special kind of person to be able to hunt monsters and not become one (or... at least hide it well!)
If anything, that man belonged in a penthouse of some type, sipping champagne while the world revolved around him. Either that, or in a basement somewhere, his hand covering a victim’s mouth, daring them to scream.
Now, let's get to our inside source. Olive is a senior at Winter Ridge Prep, the private school where all these kids go. She should've graduated, but she took a leave of absence when her parents passed away in a car accident. In the meantime, her brother Nolan has taken over as her guardian. Unlike everyone else in Winter Ridge, they struggle to pay the bills, thus both Nolan and Olly have jobs. Nolan is best friends with Soren, who Olly can't help but be drawn to, even though she knows he is dangerous. And he is dangerous; at the beginning of the story, he is just getting out of prison. He is also one of the main suspects in the murder of Teagan McKay. Let me be clear: Olly was a large part of the reason why this book earned 4 stars in spite of some faults. Anyone who reads my reviews knows I put a lot of importance into a heroine. I like them strong but relatable, and yes, I realize this isn't always an easy feat, thus I am very impressed when it is achieved. And yes, somehow Lily White wrote a strong, relatable 18-year-old girl in what amounts to a bully romance read. Olly somehow developed strong morals in a place where this wasn't valued. She did make some poor decisions, but again, she was 18. Yes, she forgave Soren too quickly more than one time, but I understood why; she didn't really have anyone watching out for her, and even though he could be a dick, he also protected her more than once, too. I can only image how confusing Soren's behavior would be to a teenager who feels alone in the world, especially when you add physical attraction to the mix. Still, she never compromised who she was for him, and at the end of the day that was what made me love her. She may have been drawn to him, but she definitely wasn't blind to who he really was.
Every day I thought I couldn’t possibly hate Soren more. And every day he did something else that showed me there truly were no limits as to how much I could detest him.
He could stalk me, bully me, make demands and even clunk me over the head and drag me around like the caveman he was, and I still wouldn’t agree to be one of his groupies.
I thought maybe...and maybe is a dangerous word when you’re dancing with the devil. Maybe let’s you believe his intentions might not be as horrible as you know they are.
So far, I have spoken about the story's strengths: Jonah, Olly, the suspense, and the murder-mystery aspect of the plot. I even liked the ending; it made sense and there was a powerful message that I think anyone of any age could learn from. However, there were a few problems, too. In an effort to further the whodunit aspect of the story, ALL of the other characters (everyone besides Jonah and Olly) were pretty much a mystery. I never really felt like I knew them, which means I never really cared about them, either. Also, there were a few red herrings thrown in there that completely contradicted someone's character, and then this was never fully explained or resolved. Once the truth came out, we were just supposed to forget about all those little things that were thrown in there, but I couldn't! Basically, I just feel like the murder mystery canceled out any attempt at character development. The story just wasn't as tight as I have come to expect from Lily, nor did it invoke the usual emotional response, but that doesn't mean the read itself wasn't enjoyable. I would recommend this story to anyone that likes bully romances, as well as a medium-dark read.
Everybody assumes a rich boy is always the snobby class president, the brutish jock, or the insufferable playboy that defines his worth by the value of his toys...what they don’t know is that, sometimes, the rich boys will break all the stereotypes and become something much darker when they get bored.
I couldn’t deny that there weren’t similarities between the psychopaths that roamed this world and the men who chased them.
The moon and stars couldn’t quite compare. The sun wasn’t bright enough to hold a candle to her. There was nothing in the heavens that was more beautiful than a girl who gave the finger to the world and marched to the beat of her own drum.
February 20, 2020
While reading DIRTY GIRLS, I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen: The “bad boy, “Soren, would break down and show his softer side. The female main character would fall in love with the detective, and... Nah, I’ll keep my other incorrect assumptions to myself. My point is that nothing about this book was predictable. NOTHING! This book was so much fun to read and incredibly intriguing, having me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out who the villain was from start to finish. This books would make an awesome movie!!!
Even though White is currently pumping out a new book every 30 days or so, every single book she writes is different from the one before and the one after. At times, her books feel like they were written by different authors, albeit different authors who are incredibly eloquent and articulate. For example, in this book, we get a lot of teenage lingo like “word“ and, “dip” referring to leaving). Meanwhile, if you read her Estate series (under her other name, MS Willis) or her next book (Vanity of Roses which I’ve been privy to a sample of), the writing is totally different since those books about more upper class, esteemed, polished characters. Regardless of what book it is, White’s books are always exciting, sexy, and in my opinion, shockingly good. I have yet to be disappointed with anything by Lily White!!!!
Even though White is currently pumping out a new book every 30 days or so, every single book she writes is different from the one before and the one after. At times, her books feel like they were written by different authors, albeit different authors who are incredibly eloquent and articulate. For example, in this book, we get a lot of teenage lingo like “word“ and, “dip” referring to leaving). Meanwhile, if you read her Estate series (under her other name, MS Willis) or her next book (Vanity of Roses which I’ve been privy to a sample of), the writing is totally different since those books about more upper class, esteemed, polished characters. Regardless of what book it is, White’s books are always exciting, sexy, and in my opinion, shockingly good. I have yet to be disappointed with anything by Lily White!!!!
November 7, 2020
Don't skip the main part Like wtf.
There were so many things that turned me off but this one took the cake. Seriously if I can continue reading even after knowing how ridiculous the plot holes and cringe worthy the pledges were, I think reading about Olle's recovery would be least of my worry. For me that was the main climax !!!
Can't believe I wasted my time on this
There were so many things that turned me off but this one took the cake. Seriously if I can continue reading even after knowing how ridiculous the plot holes and cringe worthy the pledges were, I think reading about Olle's recovery would be least of my worry. For me that was the main climax !!!
Can't believe I wasted my time on this
June 8, 2022
Whew! What did I just read? This one will surely keep you on the edge of your seat, trying to figure out what will happen next. It is dark, disturbing and intriguing all at once. And it sure as hell wasn't easy to read. It does contain some very descriptive scenes about how the victims were murdered which left me feeling quite a bit nauseous. Those were the only parts that I skimmed but all the other parts kept me anxiously awake all night.
8/jun/22
Sometimes I wish I had never read this...it messed me up weirdly...I wish I had paid close attention to the triggers
February 24, 2020
There are predators in this world.
They play. They laugh. They tease. And they taunt.
This was another WTF-Lily-White-read, just holy shit!
Olivia Reid lives in Winter Ridge, a pretentious town full of pretentious teenagers from pretentious parents with real money. But between all the loaded, fake people of Winter Ridge, Olivia and her brother Nolan have just been scraping by, after the death of their parents.
But then Nolan's best friend Soren Callahan is being released from a two-year sentence, he was arrested for selling drugs.
And with the return of Soren, the pledges return as well because “Soren runs some kind of rich kids club, kids are willing to do anything to be part of that circle, and Soren gets his kicks by challenging them to do messed up tasks in order to be accepted. Like a twisted fraternity.”
The story revolves around a heinous murder of Teagan, one of the town teenagers and one of Soren's pledges. She died a few weeks before Soren was arrested for selling drugs.
FBI agent, Jonah Vaughan grew up in Winter Ridge and is back to help solve Teagan's murder. But while Jonah is looking for clues two more teenage girls are murder, even in a more vicious way.
But there is so much more going on in Winter Ridge and at the Reid's house.
This is a major page-turner and I had a hard time putting it away, so I simply did not. In between doing my job I kept reading, sitting on the edge of my seat.
I was immediately hooked on the story of Winter Ridge young ones, it is spine-chilling, it is captivating with scorching hot sexy scenes.
While I've thoroughly enjoy reading another great book of Lily White, I still have some issues that were not mentioned:
I'm looking forward to another Lily White masterpiece, Jonah's book The Midnight Game which is due to release in May 2020.
January 27, 2020
This is one dark and twisted tale. The moral of this story will surely be passed down to future generations.
I’m not going to share anything about this story except to say that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. You’ll never see what’s coming. There are characters that you will love but more that you’ll hate and then there are those that you just aren’t too sure about.
As I said, it’s dark and twisted but it’s also raw and savage. It will have your heart racing, your blood pressure heightened to dangerous levels and the desire to wrap your hands around someone’s throat taking you by surprise...because you’re not that type of person...right?
If you like dark...this is it.
Multi POV
Safe
Triggers
I’m not going to share anything about this story except to say that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. You’ll never see what’s coming. There are characters that you will love but more that you’ll hate and then there are those that you just aren’t too sure about.
As I said, it’s dark and twisted but it’s also raw and savage. It will have your heart racing, your blood pressure heightened to dangerous levels and the desire to wrap your hands around someone’s throat taking you by surprise...because you’re not that type of person...right?
If you like dark...this is it.
Multi POV
Safe
Triggers
January 24, 2020
Lily White at it again, she likes to whip you with suspense, choke you with mystery, and keep you guessing until very end!
Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
It's hard to review this one without giving anything away! This book had a bit of everything rolled into one. Lighter bully romance, not the main focus, kind of like a bonus, if you ask me. This story's main focus is the unsolved murders happening around a bunch of spoiled, rich kids. There's mystery that surrounds almost EVERY single character, making you question each character's actions, motives, etc. You will not be able to figure it out! Lily White had my heart thumping, my chest tight with heart-break, betrayal, and then she rips the curtain back leaving me flabbergasted. Like, wait, what?!?! Bitch slapped with the truth.
I love a good mystery and Lily White proves once again, she's a master at mind-fuckery!
Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
It's hard to review this one without giving anything away! This book had a bit of everything rolled into one. Lighter bully romance, not the main focus, kind of like a bonus, if you ask me. This story's main focus is the unsolved murders happening around a bunch of spoiled, rich kids. There's mystery that surrounds almost EVERY single character, making you question each character's actions, motives, etc. You will not be able to figure it out! Lily White had my heart thumping, my chest tight with heart-break, betrayal, and then she rips the curtain back leaving me flabbergasted. Like, wait, what?!?! Bitch slapped with the truth.
I love a good mystery and Lily White proves once again, she's a master at mind-fuckery!
dnf-try-again-later
March 12, 2022Not safe.
The H implied that he slept with ow. He never denied it, which to me meant that he did sleep around on the h after they had sex. DNF because I can’t stand cheating books, hate spineless heroines, and hate books where we’re told and not shown.
The H implied that he slept with ow. He never denied it, which to me meant that he did sleep around on the h after they had sex. DNF because I can’t stand cheating books, hate spineless heroines, and hate books where we’re told and not shown.
February 7, 2020
The concept didn't make sense. Everyone pledged to do a task for the town bad boy Soren. The reason for the pledges was never explained. No one got improved social status or any apparent benefit from pledging. They were tasked with doing something awful or humiliating, so that Soren and his friends would still treat them like shit. It didn't make sense.
I was expecting this to be different. There's barely a romance. Soren was such an ass that I didn't ship him. He didn't have enough redeeming qualities. I liked Jonah. Actually Jonah was the only character I liked at all. Olly did whatever other people wanted her to. She never stood up for herself and constantly let others boss her around. Her brother was an asshole whose cruel behavior was never explained.
I hadn't figured out the murder mystery aspect of it. The only good thing about that part of the story was that it brought Jonah into it. I didn't really care about the murders. All of the people who were dying were horrible people, so there wasn't a big emotional impact when they died. I wasn't sure who was committing the murders but there were a few important people I knew hadn't done it. Except for the end, it never really felt like Olly was in danger.
I was expecting this to be different. There's barely a romance. Soren was such an ass that I didn't ship him. He didn't have enough redeeming qualities. I liked Jonah. Actually Jonah was the only character I liked at all. Olly did whatever other people wanted her to. She never stood up for herself and constantly let others boss her around. Her brother was an asshole whose cruel behavior was never explained.
I hadn't figured out the murder mystery aspect of it. The only good thing about that part of the story was that it brought Jonah into it. I didn't really care about the murders. All of the people who were dying were horrible people, so there wasn't a big emotional impact when they died. I wasn't sure who was committing the murders but there were a few important people I knew hadn't done it. Except for the end, it never really felt like Olly was in danger.
January 20, 2020
Jesus... I don't know what to say. At a glimpse, some readers might be believe they know who might be the targets, the victims, or the villian(s) in the story. But they don't know the half of it. I had my theories and I was totally at a loss when I struck out. Not only once but twice.
Let me just say... I love the hell out of Jonah. Some might be stuck of Soren. But I'm all about thw sexy mind of Jonah possesses. I loved Olive as a character but not as much as the guys in her life. She was tough cookie. But damn... She had some dumb moments. I wanted to shake her and set her straight.
I'm not going to say anything, but go in blind. I mean absolutely blind. This isn't your typical high school. This isn't your typical suspense or mystery. Nothing is typical with the strong. It will start at break neck speed and leave you wondering if you are brining pranked.
Let me just say... I love the hell out of Jonah. Some might be stuck of Soren. But I'm all about thw sexy mind of Jonah possesses. I loved Olive as a character but not as much as the guys in her life. She was tough cookie. But damn... She had some dumb moments. I wanted to shake her and set her straight.
I'm not going to say anything, but go in blind. I mean absolutely blind. This isn't your typical high school. This isn't your typical suspense or mystery. Nothing is typical with the strong. It will start at break neck speed and leave you wondering if you are brining pranked.
March 9, 2020
MY RATING⇢ 2 ✰STARS✰
BOOK TAGS⇣
⤏ A POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER MYSTERY ⤏ MIXED WITH ROMANCE...AT LEAST I THINK IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ⤏ MORE DEPRAVED THAN DARK ⤏ TRYING TO FIT WITH THE IN CROWD ⤏ BULLYING & DEGRADATION
MY THOUGHTS⇣
I was looking for something dark that would suck me in with undeniable chemistry, despite the darkness of the couple's situation...sadly that's not what I got. No, instead the MC was only attracted to the guy who strung her up like an animal, literally hanging her by her arms for hours. For no other reason than he thought it was funny, to show her that he was "that" guy, the one who could get away with anything he wanted. That incident was actually only the beginning of his douchebaggery.
After that point, I was disillusioned, but I stuck with it...hoping this girl would get a clue, feeling like she had to. But...it didn't happen. So then I was hoping the subplot of a serial killer mystery would be able to carry this story...and while it kept me reading it ultimately fizzled out too, since I found it rather unbelievable.
So, why did I give it 2 stars then, despite all these numerous issues? Basically, because I kept reading...all the way to the end. I'll give credit for at least hooking me.
BOOK DETAILS⇣
BOOK COVER⇢ ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT...THOSE BOOTS ARE CUTE (Duped by the cover again)
SETTING⇢ WINTER RIDGE, WASHINGTON
SOURCE⇢ I OWN KINDLE EBOOK
eBOOK LENGTH⇢ 396 PAGES
BREAKDOWN⇣
Plot⇢ 2/5
Characters⇢ 2/5
The Feels⇢ 2/5
Pacing⇢ 3/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 2/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3/5
Twisty-ness⇢ 2/5
Steaminess/Story Ratio⇢ 15/85
Ending⇢ 1/5
BOOK TAGS⇣
⤏ A POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER MYSTERY ⤏ MIXED WITH ROMANCE...AT LEAST I THINK IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ⤏ MORE DEPRAVED THAN DARK ⤏ TRYING TO FIT WITH THE IN CROWD ⤏ BULLYING & DEGRADATION
MY THOUGHTS⇣
I was looking for something dark that would suck me in with undeniable chemistry, despite the darkness of the couple's situation...sadly that's not what I got. No, instead the MC was only attracted to the guy who strung her up like an animal, literally hanging her by her arms for hours. For no other reason than he thought it was funny, to show her that he was "that" guy, the one who could get away with anything he wanted. That incident was actually only the beginning of his douchebaggery.
After that point, I was disillusioned, but I stuck with it...hoping this girl would get a clue, feeling like she had to. But...it didn't happen. So then I was hoping the subplot of a serial killer mystery would be able to carry this story...and while it kept me reading it ultimately fizzled out too, since I found it rather unbelievable.
So, why did I give it 2 stars then, despite all these numerous issues? Basically, because I kept reading...all the way to the end. I'll give credit for at least hooking me.
BOOK DETAILS⇣
BOOK COVER⇢ ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT...THOSE BOOTS ARE CUTE (Duped by the cover again)
SETTING⇢ WINTER RIDGE, WASHINGTON
SOURCE⇢ I OWN KINDLE EBOOK
eBOOK LENGTH⇢ 396 PAGES
BREAKDOWN⇣
Plot⇢ 2/5
Characters⇢ 2/5
The Feels⇢ 2/5
Pacing⇢ 3/5
Addictiveness⇢ 3/5
Theme or Tone⇢ 2/5
Flow (Writing Style)⇢ 3/5
Twisty-ness⇢ 2/5
Steaminess/Story Ratio⇢ 15/85
Ending⇢ 1/5
February 11, 2020
4.5 Stars
This book. I really liked this one.
Olive was not my favorite heroine at times, she seemed to have a habit of jumping to the most random conclusions about things. I understand the situation her town was in she had to be cautious but sometimes you just wanted her to come to the simplest conclusion rather than the paranoid one she chose. But she was a fierce heroine which helped me warm to her, she wasn't taking any shit from her brother and his crazy friends.
Now...those boys. The blurb says "Rich and privileged. Gorgeous and cruel." ie. crazy. CRAZY! They are definitely a bit unhinged (honestly, everyone in this town seems like they could benefit from an intense psychotherapy session) but I loved it. Lol. What can I say, I love me a crazy BBF.
This book lost half a star because that ending!! It was so abrupt! I wanted to experience a bit of turmoil with the final act and instead we're just cut off. Other than my disappointment with our final harrowing scenes, I very much enjoyed trying to figure out who was terrorizing Winter Ridge.
This book. I really liked this one.
Olive was not my favorite heroine at times, she seemed to have a habit of jumping to the most random conclusions about things. I understand the situation her town was in she had to be cautious but sometimes you just wanted her to come to the simplest conclusion rather than the paranoid one she chose. But she was a fierce heroine which helped me warm to her, she wasn't taking any shit from her brother and his crazy friends.
Now...those boys. The blurb says "Rich and privileged. Gorgeous and cruel." ie. crazy. CRAZY! They are definitely a bit unhinged (honestly, everyone in this town seems like they could benefit from an intense psychotherapy session) but I loved it. Lol. What can I say, I love me a crazy BBF.
This book lost half a star because that ending!! It was so abrupt! I wanted to experience a bit of turmoil with the final act and instead we're just cut off. Other than my disappointment with our final harrowing scenes, I very much enjoyed trying to figure out who was terrorizing Winter Ridge.
March 16, 2020
Originally posted at Critically Romantic…
This is one of those books that I really, really wish that I had liked more than I did. I loved the premise of it and I was really interested in the pairing of a new adult romance with a pretty dark and heavy murder mystery. Unfortunately, I think both the romance and the mystery parts of the story sort of failed for me in different ways.
What inspired me to pick up this book, being completely unfamiliar with Lily White as an author, was that I stumbled on it clicking "People who liked ____ also liked..." and it has absolutely amazing reviews. And honestly... I feel like I didn't read the same book as those reviewers because I feel the complete opposite way about pretty much everything in the reviews.
First off, I didn't really like any of the characters in this book and I feel like who they are as people and why they do the things they do wasn't really explored in a way that made me care either way about them. Olive is... just kind of a blank for me? She felt wishy washy, had moments of standing up for herself and others but was generally just pretty bland and underdeveloped for me. Soren was an asshole throughout the book and the reasons that the book gave for his behavior didn't really redeem him for me or make me think that his sudden change towards the end of the book made all that much sense. And Jonah... Nah. Why? There had to be a better way to present the mystery and investigation than the way it was done, because Jonah's presence, his interactions with Olive, and his generally being such a significant part of the book just made zero sense to me in the context of the story. They just didn't amount to anything at all.
Second, the romance, for me, was basically a non-starter. It just didn't... do anything. And honestly, the whole older brother's best friend thing is actually a long time favorite trope of mine, especially when paired with the whole darker bad boy thing, but this might be the most boring, nothing version of that for me. There was so much that could have been there with these two characters, but it wasn't explored. I almost felt like it was left to me to fabricate the romance in my head from the little bits of whatever the author gave us for this relationship and I just couldn't get there at all.
Finally, I figured out who the killer was some time during the first half of the book, which made the "twist" at the end super underwhelming. Honestly, I don't even read a lot of mysteries or thrillers, so the fact that I figured out the end before I got the middle was really disappointing for me. I actually think it was a good narrative choice for the Who in the whodunnit, but the execution of it just felt really obvious to me. Just me? I don't know, I've seen reviews from people who were completely shocked and I sincerely don't get it.
I have to say, I'm really extra disappointed about this book because all of the elements for a seriously amazing book were there, but they never came together for me. I think the characters could have been incredible if they'd been explored a little more deeply, I think the romance could have felt really intense and authentic, and I think the mystery/thriller aspect of it could have seriously been incredible, but just... nothing got there for me. When I finished this book, I just felt a sense of being underwhelmed and bored. In fact, the only reason I think this book didn't end up on my ever growing DNF shelf was because I wanted to know if I was right about who the killer was - and, again, I was.
I don't know, based on the Goodreads score, a lot of people liked this book and maybe you will too, but I don't really feel like I can recommend it. It's definitely a pass for me, but I'm definitely thinking about trying out another Lily White book to see if there might be something else in her catalogue that will do it for me.
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