Pretty Reckless (All Saints High, #1) in Some Like It Hot!

Aug 11, 2019 Lindsay rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read-with-jenn, jenn-moral-support-while-reading, enemies-turned-lovers, 2019, august-2019, bullying

4.5

I went back and forth on what rating to give this book. On one hand, I really enjoyed it, even loved parts of it...but on the other hand, I had issues (I think that's the first time I've said that about a LJ Shen book, but I'll explain below).

I first read the blurb and sample weeks ago, right after my first book by LJ Shen. I wasn't sure what book to read next and this one is a recent release so I looked at it first. I was a little put off by the mean girl/bully sound to Daria, so I decided ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Apr 27, 2019 Babel rated it really liked it

Shelves: drama, steamy, dark-romance, new-adult, second-chance, violence, secrets, anger, angst, revenge

It reminds me of the world of Paper Princess by Erin Watt, only grittier and more poetic. The prose jumps at your face with unapologetic honesty and bitter self-awareness.

Daria and Penn are insanely wild together. They claw at each other like untamed animals. Sometimes they spill violence, other times they just drown in frenzied lust they can't contain. It's positively volcanic and I couldn't read fast enough to see what they were going to do next with all those emotions about to erupt.

One of th It reminds me of the world of Paper Princess by Erin Watt, only grittier and more poetic. The prose jumps at your face with unapologetic honesty and bitter self-awareness.

Daria and Penn are insanely wild together. They claw at each other like untamed animals. Sometimes they spill violence, other times they just drown in frenzied lust they can't contain. It's positively volcanic and I couldn't read fast enough to see what they were going to do next with all those emotions about to erupt.

One of the best moments is that crucial instant when they meet and their bond starts and dies in one single act of desperate, unfair fate. I also love Daria's twisted personality as she lashes out but is despairing on the inside at the same time.

I enjoyed the author's sharp, witty writing style, and her dark, self-deprecating humor that poured out of Daria's mouth. This character is dubious, immoral, but terribly misjudged and lonely. The whole interaction with her archenemy Via is dark and dangerous.

However, teenagers throwing poisoned barbs at each other gets boring after two pages, and I also grew bored pretty quickly with all the football focus.

On the other hand, the emotional plot is engaging. It revolves around the tragedy of a brother, a sister, and the girl who is crushed by her very different relationships with them and her own family.

Doomed love, angry pain, steamy forbidden passion. Daria is a twisted character and her downfall is twisted too because she loves in a world of traitors and sinners. It was hard at times relate to her because of her spiteful decisions, but the evolution of the plot really makes sense of it all at the end.

Real pain, blood, family bonds, revenge and secrets spill and gush in the final chapters. Like Romeo and Juliette, their love explodes in the middle of teenage angst and drama. I liked the story behind Penn's T-shirts and the reconciliation of Daria's demons. Very intense in words and emotion.

Favourite Quotes:

He grew up from a dirty duckling to a dark swan.

If I've learned one thing about this life, it's that you don't let the bad guys win.

The tormentor tormented by its prey. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2020 Fiona Fog rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-series, contemporary-romance, alpha-male, college-sport-young-adult, dark-romance, bad-boy-romance

Don’t expect all mush and romance here, this story these characters will have wanting to yell, scream, and scratching your head asking why you can’t stop reading.

It’s dark. It’s addictive. And it’s freaking HOT. The age of the characters and their ruthlessness made me double check their age. These kids do not muck around. This high school is take no prisoners and may the best or in this case most popular win.

With the perfect amount of angst and a juicy storyline I’m well and truly hooked on LJ S ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2020 Fiona Fog rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Raw and Dark

Don’t expect all mush and romance here, this story these characters will have wanting to yell, scream, and scratching your head asking why you can’t stop reading.

It’s dark. It’s addictive. And it’s freaking HOT. The age of the characters and their ruthlessness made me double check their age. These kids do not muck around. This high school is take no prisoners and may the best or in this case most popular win.

With the perfect amount of angst and a juicy storyline I’m well and truly ...more

1 like · Like · see review