Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester - Starting October 2nd, 2021

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

A biting novel from an electrifying new voice, Such a Pretty Smile is a heart-stopping tour-de-force about powerful women, angry men, and all the ways in which girls fight against the forces that try to silence them.

There’s something out there that’s killing. Known only as The Cur, he leaves no traces, save for the torn bodies of girls, on the verge of becoming women, who are known as trouble-makers; those who refuse to conform, to know their place. Girls who don’t know when to shut up.

2019: Thirteen-year-old Lila Sawyer has secrets she can’t share with anyone. Not the school psychologist she’s seeing. Not her father, who has a new wife, and a new baby. And not her mother—the infamous Caroline Sawyer, a unique artist whose eerie sculptures, made from bent twigs and crimped leaves, have made her a local celebrity. But soon Lila feels haunted from within, terrorized by a delicious evil that shows her how to find her voice—until she is punished for using it.

2004: Caroline Sawyer hears dogs everywhere. Snarling, barking, teeth snapping that no one else seems to notice. At first, she blames the phantom sounds on her insomnia and her acute stress in caring for her ailing father. But then the delusions begin to take shape—both in her waking hours, and in the violent, visceral sculptures she creates while in a trance-like state. Her fiancé is convinced she needs help. Her new psychiatrist waves her “problem” away with pills. But Caroline’s past is a dark cellar, filled with repressed memories and a lurking horror that the men around her can’t understand.

As past demons become a present threat, both Caroline and Lila must chase the source of this unrelenting, oppressive power to its malignant core. Brilliantly paced, unsettling to the bone, and unapologetically fierce, Such a Pretty Smile is a powerful allegory for what it can mean to be a woman, and an untamed rallying cry for anyone ever told to sit down, shut up, and smile pretty.

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Ch 4 (Lila) (view spoiler)[Well this has certainly been a weird and crazy start. I honestly have no idea what’s really going on with Lila, her “inner beast”, and all the weird sightings and sounds she’s been witnessing. I’d also like to know what the hell has her mom so scared? I mean she’s been letting Lila go out with her friend 🤷🏼‍♀️ What was that creepy sculpture Lila found? And damnit what was up with that weird as hell scene in the kitchen 😳. Maybe we’ll get some answers now from her moms POV in the past. (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Ch 13 (view spoiler)[Halfway through and I’m even more at a loss lol. This is one weird out there story and I’m curious to see where the author will take this. Honestly I’d think it some broad elaboration on puberty but her and her mom are totally different ages when going through this so I have no clue lmao (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Ch 24 (view spoiler)[What in the world is going on? Is it like a curse going after these 'naughty' girls? Why did Caroline not recognize what's going on with Lila since she went through the same thing? And why does she say she wants to help her, but she's not. Then Daniel, well let's just say I am not a fan of the man!! I'm worried what Lila will find going to the park but it's past the point of me needing answers so I'm ready lol (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Hmmm well this was weird as hell. I'm not a fan of the end with her dad being a horrible father and then her mother ending up sacrificing herself to save Lila. Then there's this beast thing that reminds me of IT in a way, the creature comes back after X amount of years and stalks young girls. Plus the way it leaves some, marks others and now there is a group of survivors is just sooooo, well, WEIRD lol. It bothers me the most how her mother kept suspecting something but never just demanded answers or truly saw what Lila was going through because she was in denial. Not sure what the overall purpose of the book is supposed to be. Kinda depressing especially now knowing this will only continue on throughout the years. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Ch 1-5 (view spoiler)[ I wonder if she's schizophrenic or mentally ill somehow and has inherited it from her mom? Or maybe they're werewolves. Either way, pretty crazy things happening. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 4 (Lila) [spoilers removed]"

We definitely need answers! I'm confused too. Also, Macie is the worst friend

[Aly]

Ch 6-12 (view spoiler)[ So we know that supposedly Caroline had delusions before and they may be back now. Maybe it's hereditary and her daughter has them now too? I don't know, I'm so confused! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 13 [spoilers removed]"

I could see that for sure. It's interesting that things keep happening every 15 years

[Aly]

Ch 13-19 (view spoiler)[ still can't quite tell if this is paranormal or not. Because how would Caroline and Lila have the same hallucinations?

I also think Daniel didn't even ask Gemma about the sculpture because he's a douche (hide spoiler)]
Ch 20-End (view spoiler)[ Well okay. I wish they could have stopped the horrible shapeshifting guy instead of just weathering it out. Plus Caroline had to die after living a fairly shitty life.

Lastly, I guess I'm happy Lila made up with her dad but he's trash and I still don't like him. He should have died instead of Caroline (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Ch 24 [spoilers removed]"

I totally agree (view spoiler)[ that Caroline should have seen the signs in Lila. I think she was trying to deny it because she didn't want Lila to be sick like her. (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Yes to all of this! Her dad blows and I wish he'd died instead of her mom.

The comparison to It is spot on! I wonder if the author got the idea from that?

Depressing ending for sure, nothing changed and people will still die every 15 years. I wanted them to find a way to make it stop (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Aly wrote: "Ch 13-19 still can't quite tell if this is paranormal or not. Because how would Caroline and Lila have the same hallucinations?

I also think Daniel didn't even ask Gemma about the sculpture beca..."

(view spoiler)[Yeah it's ridiculous the dad comes out the winner in the end and Caroline is the one who sacrificed so much and deserved to live! (hide spoiler)]

[❀ Crystal ✿ -]

Aly wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

Yes to all of this! Her dad blows and I wish he'd died instead of her mom.

The comparison to It is spot on! I wonder if the author got the ide..."

Couldn't agree more. (view spoiler)[Sometimes an open end can work for this type of read but this was not it lol. I mean after so much befuddlement a solid conclusion would have been nice! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Aly wrote: "❀ Crystal ✿ - wrote: "Finished [spoilers removed]"

Yes to all of this! Her dad blows and I wish he'd died instead of her mom.

The comparison to It is spot on! I wonder if the author..."

Yes!