Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

Pretty Revenge is a contemporary work which follows two women’s points of view and is told in the same timeline. It focuses on the all consuming revenge and secrets they hold. The question isn’t “What won’t a woman do to achieve what she’s set her mind to?”; it’s “When?” I was torn between who to feel more sympathetic for and I liked that their true characters were exposed at the conclusion. This was a quick read that held my attention and I flew right through it.

Wow! Just wow! I didn't expect any of this! A psychological thriller with a happy ending. Literally everyone got what they wanted! But in a way that made complete sense! I'm not really sure how to process this completely. I loved it! It was a great read!

To be honest, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from Emily Liebert's Pretty Revenge. Liebert was an unknown author to me and I had not seen much buzz surrounding this book when it was published. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by this suspense novel about a woman taking revenge on her childhood nemesis.

When Kerrie O'Malley sees Jordana Pierson on television promoting her elite wedding planning business, Kerrie sees red. Jordana was her childhood neighbor, but not only that, Jordana committed an unthinkable act while staying at Kerrie's house one night, and in effect, ruined Kerrie's life. Kerrie, hellbent on getting revenge, infiltrates Jordana's life, landing a plum role at Jordana's business and becoming her right hand woman. But little does Jordana know that Kerrie is a snake in the grass, hellbent on getting revenge. When the claws are out, who will come out on top?

Pretty Revenge was a pretty entertaining read! Liebert has solid character development and evenly moves the plot of this novel along, making for a satisfying reading experience. Pretty Revenge doesn't shy away from exposing the unfortunate down and dirty side of women's relationships, and while it doesn't always show women in the best light - instead painting them as catty and selfish - the book sure was a lot of fun!

I received a free copy of Pretty Revenge by Emily Liebert from Goodreads for my honest opinion.

A twisted thriller that shows just how far someone will go to get Revenge.

Kerrie O’Malley had a terrible childhood and she blames everything bad that has ever happened to her in life to the person who is responsible. Kerrie is in a so so relationship, has no career and has a very boring life.

One day, while watching TV, she is shocked when she sees the person she feels is to blame for her horrible life. That person is Jordana Pierson. She is a wedding planner who is rich, beautiful and living it up in New York City.

Now Kerrie has a plan. She is going to reinvent herself and organize a plan to take Jordana down.

I really enjoyed the different point of views. Seeing how each of them dealt with the pain they were deal in life. The strangest part if you grow to enjoy both characters. But the question it who will win and who will loose.

This one gave me a similar feel as Last Time I Lied. Two females face off in a twisty game of revenge. The story is very much a slow burn and not a typical violent thriller. I liked the setup and the payoff was worth the wait. I liked the writing style and for the most part I never became bored. Overall, 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Sweet Revenge! Fill your cup and sit back for a fun filled ride of pure drama. This one held my attention from the first page to the last. I could not turn the pages quick enough. Perfect summer, beach read.

I had a good time reading this one, but it' was a bit soap opera-y.

Revenge, not the TV show, but a bit of a wannabe. dyed hair, plastic surgery, going to outer limits...
More of a beach read to not take too seriously.

I picked this back up and really enjoyed it the second time around. I feel like the ending was a little too predictable but the story had a quick pace and held my attention.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve enjoyed some of Emily Liebert’s previous books- but they have been def in the women’s fiction category. Pretty Revenge is the first that she gets to flex her mystery/thriller-ish writing chops and I was eager to see what she could do.

What I Liked:

The cover. Dark, interesting, eye-catching.

Jordana and Kerrie. Both are layered and interesting characters. While it should be obvious who to root for in this book, in Emily’s hands- she writes each character in a way that you can’t help but go back and forth about who you root for as their stories are revealed.

The ending. It was good!



Bottom line: Pure soapy fun (and that is a big ole compliment!)

First, let me thank netgalley and the publishers for approving my request for an early release of this book. All reviews of my netgalley books can be found on goodreads and youtube. Please be sure to check out the links attached.

“If you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” ~William Shakespeare⁣
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In ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕘𝕖 by Emily Liebert, two kickass women with checkered pasts reinvent themselves. Kerrie becomes Olivia to try to get revenge on Jordan, who is now living as Jordana, a high profile wedding planner in NYC. Olivia applies to be Jordana’s assistant with the sole intention of making Jordana pay for something terrible she did to her 18 years ago. ⁣
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𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠...I was so into this book for about 80% of it. I was loving the interaction between Olivia and Jordana! There’s something so satisfying about watching someone be completely deceived without a clue that it’s happening. If Jordan did something terrible to Kerrie when they were younger, she totally deserves whatever she gets right? Eye for an eye and all that jazz. When Olivia kicks her plan into full gear to start bringing Jordana down, I was Olivia’s #1 cheerleader 📣. I had my imaginary Pom Poms out and I was shaking them all about! Super pumped for that touchdown of sweet, juicy, no holds barred revenge. Then, faster than I could cheer “GO TEAM,” the story went out of bounds. I had to put my Pom Poms away and that just makes me sad. The story ended too abruptly. I didn’t feel satisfied. The ending left me thirsty, y’all! I like my revenge to the utmost level of juicy, please! 🥤 ⁣
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I will say that I really enjoyed Emily’s writing. It was a very quick read and flowed smoothly. My major issue is that Pretty Revenge is being called a thriller. I went in with a certain expectation, you know.. to be thrilled. In my opinion, this wasn’t a thriller at all. It was more like chick-lit with a little bit of a dark side. I didn’t feel any suspense or anxiety as I was reading and those are the feelings I crave from a thriller. ⁣
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Overall, if you’re looking for a fun and quick read, I would still recommend this one. Just go in knowing that this is NOT a thriller and you’ll probably enjoy it way more. Managing expectations is the key to happiness people!

Thank you Netgalley and Galley Books for an ARC in exchange for a review.

I liked this one. I had a rainy Saturday and read this while curled up on my couch. It wasn't a "typical" thriller but I enjoyed the chapters going back and forth between the two main characters.

It held my attention and I was curious to see how it ended.

I will definitely check out more books by this author.

This book was definitely not what I expected! I know it was marketed as ‘a riveting, compulsively readable novel bursting with twists and turns and plenty of suspense’, that’s not quite how I would describe it. Yes, it was riveting and compulsively readable, it was not bursting with twists and turns or plenty of suspense. While this book DID keep me engaged and turning the pages, it was not a thriller. I would say, if you a looking for a ‘lifetime mystery’ type book, this is it. I did enjoy it though.

Revenge takes on a whole new meaning in Liebert’s latest psychological suspense. Kerrie has never forgiven her neighbor Jordan for an unspeakable act that occurred when they were children. Many years later, Kerrie changes her identity to seek revenge on the woman who ruined her life.

This was a fast, fun read. The plot wasn’t particularly original but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I like the fact that the author is from my home state of CT and mentions places there in her book. An overall good read. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Gallery Books and Emily Liebert for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Pretty Revenge. It's the familiar "woman does other woman wrong and now it's time for revenge" story, which are definitely over done these days, but Pretty Revenge offers a nice twist on the plot with two main characters who are both flawed but fascinating and a premise that manages to show that revenge isn't as cracked up as it seems to be, and that by deciding that someone is entirely to blame you can forget that they are person too. And maybe their actions weren't as bad as you thought and that maybe you can have more than revenge--maybe you can have a life.

Pretty Revenge may have a familiar plot but its refreshing take on the familiar twists and its refusal to let any character be one-dimensional that makes this an interesting read. I especially liked the fact that neither main character was evil for the sake of being evil, but that they both had reasons, very good reasons, for what they did and for their actions now. Recommended.

Emily Liebert's Pretty Revenge follows Kerrie O'Malley, who's life was destroyed one tragic night at the age of 12. She's spent the last 18 years stewing in the events and has pinpointed exactly who's fault it is that her life went so tragically. When Jordana Pierson appears on a gossip show to discuss her wedding concierge business, Kerrie sees the chance to finally get her revenge. I was provided an e-arc of Pretty Revenge by Gallery Threshold, Pocket Books via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Kerrie O'Malley and Jordana Pierson are not unalike, both with tragic backstories and with present lives that leave them both more ambivalent than happy. Kerrie in a boring relationship she can't quite commit herself to and Jordana with a husband who cheats and quite clearly doesn't actually love her. When Kerrie changes applies for a job under a name no one knows her by in order to infiltrate Jordana's life and get her revenge, she ends up providing Jordana with the friendship she'd always wanted all those years before.

Pretty Revenge is honestly a very fluffy read. With POV from both Kerrie and Jordana, there's no suspense. Kerrie isn't evil, her revenge plan isn't to murder people, just sabotage a few things, and instead, she finds a life that fits her better than she could've expected. On the flip side, Jordana wasn't evil 18 years ago, she was a careless teenager trying to escape a bad situation.

While this is a sweet, quick read, none of the characters are highly likeable or hateable to be honest. It reads quick enough that you don't need to latch on to any specific characters, which works out perfectly. I'd save this one for a vacation read - it was a fun walk through my familiar New York while I was laying poolside on the other side of the world.

Pretty Revenge by Emily Liebert is a suspense thriller about the past and the debts that remain unpaid. Even more, it speaks to the pain you cause that never stops waiting to pay you back. Kerrie O'Malley's life has not gone as she had hoped it would. Jobless in a dead end relationship with little hope for a better future, it's just not where she thought she would be. But Kerrie knows why and she knows exactly whose to blame.

"...Are you okay?' he asked. My skin must have blanched, because he actually noticed that something wasn't right. 'Do you want to watch something else? A movie, maybe?' he offered, as he placed a timid hand on my forearm.
'No,' I shook my head frantically as I raised the volume and positioned myself on the edge of the couch, angling my body toward the screen. I'd gone completely numb the second I heard her voice. I never would have recognized her otherwise; nothing about her appearance made sense. Her vibrant red hair had been dimmed to a hushed shade of blonde. Her once ivory complexion had adopted a golden hue. And while her eyes were still the same, wide set and blue-just like my mother's-there was an unmistakable reserve behind them.
'You look like you've seen a ghost.' He wasn't far off. Still, he had no idea. To him, she was just another attractive face. To me, she was everything..."

Kerrie O'Malley stares at the screen, at the face of the woman who destroyed her world. At the friend she had cared about and lied for and who in the end, took everything away from Kerrie. She stares and knows that there is only one thing she can do. She is going to take revenge on the woman who calls herself Jordana Pierson. On the woman who was responsible for all that went wrong in Kerrie's life.

Some would think that Jordana Pierson lives a charmed life. A rich husband. A successful business and a status in the social elite that is the envy of many. But behind that veneer is a life of struggle and sacrifice and at times, acts of violence and cruelty. There is little of what Jordana has done that she regrets and very little that she won't do to hold on to it.

"...What's happening?' I moved a little closer to get a better look.
'You need to leave right now.' Somehow he managed to grab my arm with what little strength he had left in him, but I squirmed free, and then I did exactly what I said I was going to.
I strolled right out of the room and never looked back.
An hour later, he suffered a massive heart attack. There were multiple attempts to resuscitate him, but they were in vain. My father died that day. No, my mistake. A stranger died that day. He died angry. And sour. He died knowing that I'd held him accountable for his sins. That I hadn't apologized or forgiven him, and I certainly hadn't forgotten.
That is what I call closure..."

Okay here is where I will let you know that you need to stop now because there will be SPOILERS ahead.

Pretty Revenge as a thriller has very little thrills in it and as a novel of revenge it falls decidedly flat for me. It is a good novel of characters and they do evoke emotions in the reader but I am not sure they are the emotions the author intends.

I will begin with Kerrie. For someone who is seeking revenge and is wronged, it is near impossible to emphatized with her. She is self involved and cruel and pretty heartless to most people around her. Yes I know her Nana died because of Jordana, but it was because she left the gas on when she lit her cigarette before she left and while that is tragic, it certainly is not intentional. Jordana was running away from an abusive family environment and yes stole some money and jewelry from Kerrie and her Nana, but you harbor a grudge and hate for someone over so many years for the acts of a teenager?

Not only that, you go ahead and try to destroy her, but not only her. You use and break the heart of the guy you leave behind when you decide to take on this quest. You lie to the man you now have fallen in love with, destroy his impending wedding and crush the hopes and dreams of the bride to be who is innocent in all this. You attack families you know nothing of, but they are rich and have money so they deserve to be lied to and deceived. Kerrie and her actions make her out to be the bad guy far more than Jordana.

Of course, for your partner in crime in all this you pick the most unlikable character in the book. A woman who can little more than complain and rant how she hates her husband and her newborn child because they have ruined her life and they are both worthless.

Jordana herself, as we read forward in the novel, is not a selfish and heartless privileged society queen. Instead we find out that what she really is, is a survivalist. She is fighting to keep what she has and to never be in a position of being controlled by anyone again. She trusts no one and when she finally does trust someone in a moment of need and weakness, it is of course the one person who wants to do her the most harm.

And let's touch on that for just a second. Jordana, you are in a very public position with a man who very rich and you have a past you are keeping secret from everyone. You are dealing with the biggest event in your young career that could literally make or break you and...here it is...decide to hire someone with no experience and that you have no real idea of...you even neglect to check on references and all that...and make her your second in command and give her the keys to your kingdom?

I know fiction of any kind does need the reader to give it some suspension of belief, but this is taking that and putting it in a hot air balloon and letting it sail away.

What Pretty Revenge eventually succeeds at is making the reader actually like and root for Jordana. The supposedly evil one in the story.

Pretty revenge is a decent read and as such will find an audience to fawn over it. But it is not the second coming of anything. At best it is a Lifetime channel made for cable movie and only that because its producers could not sell it to Netflix.

Pretty Revenge is pretty petty revenge.

*Petty* Revenge

OK…I’ve given up on this.

I’m 69% in and I don’t want to do it anymore. It’s just so…same old/same old.

I completely accept that maybe it’s me, but I was just bored.

What kept me reading was that I wanted to see what Jordana had done to cause all this petty revenge. Finally, I reached that part and it was…kind of a let down.

Yeah, maybe there’s going to be some giant/horrific reveal later on, but I’m at the point where I just don’t care.

Finis!

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

Pretty Revenge is a suspense book that will hook the reader from page one. It is a quick read that will leave you wanting to read the next book written by Emily Liebert. I always love finding a new author that brings something a little bit different to the world of suspense novels.

This was my first book my Emily Liebert and I really enjoyed it. Although the idea of getting revenge on someone is fun, I do not think someone could pull off this feat. I liked both of the main characters in this story. Both Kerrie and Jordana were strong and determined. This book is out now and is the perfect pool or beach read so go grab yourself a copy!