Pretty Things
Ratings15
Average rating4
15
Ratings15
Average rating4
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Who’s really following you on social media? The scam of a lifetime brings together two wildly different women in this page-turning thriller about greed, legacy, and betrayal from the New York Times bestselling author of Watch Me Disappear. An ID Book Club Selection • “It’s Dynasty meets Patricia Highsmith.”—The Washington Post Nina once bought into the idea that her fancy liberal arts degree would lead to a fulfilling career. When that dream crashed, she turned to stealing from rich kids in L.A. alongside her wily Irish boyfriend, Lachlan. Nina learned from the best: Her mother was the original con artist, hustling to give her daughter a decent childhood despite their wayward life. But when her mom gets sick, Nina puts everything on the line to help her, even if it means running her most audacious, dangerous scam yet. Vanessa is a privileged young heiress who wanted to make her mark in the world. Instead she becomes an Instagram influencer—traveling the globe, receiving free clothes and products, and posing for pictures in exotic locales. But behind the covetable façade is a life marked by tragedy. After a broken engagement, Vanessa retreats to her family’s sprawling mountain estate, Stonehaven: a mansion of dark secrets not just from Vanessa’s past, but from that of a lost and troubled girl named Nina. Nina’s, Vanessa’s, and Lachlan’s paths collide here, on the cold shores of Lake Tahoe, where their intertwined lives give way to a winter of aspiration and desire, duplicity and revenge. This dazzling, twisty, mesmerizing novel showcases acclaimed author Janelle Brown at her best, as two brilliant, damaged women try to survive the greatest game of deceit and destruction they will ever play.
Reviews with the most likes.
Loved it. Fun thriller, twists I didn't see coming. Popcorn book I've recommended a few times to similar response.
i am very surprised by my overall thoughts about this book! it's not something i would usually gravitate towards but i found it in goodwill & decided to give it a shot! it was pretty entertaining & there was this specific plot twist that really got me!
Interesting premise with a fantastic start. Seeing the world through Nina's eyes, even with the trips to the past that slowed the pace was fascinating. Watching a group of cons interact and switch between what was supposed to be a con and what was actually real kept me reading. Where things started to fall apart for me was the introduction of the 2 narrator. Vapid, 2-dimensional, snotty, self-involved with nothing that differentiated her from a half dozen other antagonists in a half dozen other novels. There were a couple of twists that I didn't quite see coming, so I powered through the parts where I wanted to slap a piece of duct tape over Vanessa's mouth (including the long section where Nina was MIA). I actually kind of wish Lachlan had been the second narrator. It would have been an interesting juxtaposition to Nina. Anyway, I had hopes for a powerful final act. Unfortunately, all I got was disappointment. It ended on a whimper that was 1 step removed of sunshine and rainbows.
