Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pretty thigns by Janelle Brown is a thriller about a grifter and an heiress. Nana, the grifter, is low on money and needs to pay for her mother's cancer treatments. Vanessa, the heiress, is back at her family's estate alone.

I liked a good majority of this book. The build-up and character work was all there, and unlike other readers, I didn't find the set up too long. I liked Nina and Vanessa's characterization.

However, there's a twist about 70% in that feels out of nowhere. Since Vanessa has her own POV chapters, it feels a bit cheap to reveal a secret of hers 70% into the book with "Oh, did I not mention [plot twist]?" I didn't care for that much.

Pretty Things was a perfect escape this week. The setting at Lake Tahoe and Stonehaven pulled me right in. Stonehaven plays an integral part of both women’s pasts, reminding me a little bit of a darker version of The Dutch House. Vanessa and Nina each seemed like fully-realized, relatable characters, and Brown kept me guessing even when I thought I knew where the story was going.

While there are some darker themes, I think this would be a great read for anybody looking for a compelling mystery. I absolutely loved the enchanting setting of Lake Tahoe and Stonehaven.

I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review,
Although I feel like this book had a lot of potential, I couldn’t really get into it like I expected I would from the reviews. The first part of the book is the backstory for Vanessa and Nina. And I felt like it just dragged on. Maybe it would have been better woven into the rest of the book?

I didn’t enjoy the alternate chapters of one person than the other, but the same thing... maybe at some point, I’ll try to read it all over again.

I enjoyed Pretty Things by Janelle Brown. It's told in alternating sections of Nina and Vanessa so you get insight as to how each of the main characters are interpreting the situation. They are each on different ends of the spectrum concerning wealth and privilege. It was not predictable in my opinion and kept me guessing as to where the story was headed. This was the first book I've read by this author although I've heard good things about Watch Me Disappear. I would read more by this author in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was hooked from page one, this is a mix of mystery, family drama and high society. The twists and turns felt way placed and thought out. I was guessing the whole time. I loved seeing how the characters lives were interwoven throughout the story.

HOLY COW--just like Darling Rose Gold, Pretty Things is one of those thrillers that will get you.

If psychological pageturners are your jam and you love dysfunctional families as much as I do, I'd highly recommend this wild April 2020 new book release.

Plus, the novel plays into the current Instagram influencer life, which is highly relevant today.

See our full review on The Uncorked Librarian: https://theuncorkedlibrarian.com/april-2020-book-releases/

I enjoyed this book. Pretty Things by Janelle Brown is a thriller about Nina, a con artist, who uses her wide knowledge of art history to steal expensive pieces and other items from wealthy people to fund her lifestyle. I found Nina likable. She seems to feel justified in stealing from the rich. However, her job with her boyfriend, Lachlan, requires her to steal from Vanessa. Vanessa is an heiress who is related to a sad experience in Nina's teenage years. This job makes Nina confront her beliefs and feel some guilt for her actions. I think Nina was terribly unsympathetic towards Vanessa . This surprised me because Vanessa was initially a very shallow character. However, this was because we are seeing her through Nina's perspective. Vanessa's character shocked me. We are initially introduced to Vanessa as a spoiled heiress and a social media influencer. However, the book humanizes and made me root for her despite Nina's strong dislike and disdain for her.

I really enjoyed how Janelle Brown discussed the impact of social media on influencers and how it can encourage unhappiness because you are constantly trying to please people who do not know you. They only know the image you present. I also liked how she switched perspectives between Nina and Vanessa since they are such different characters and it is interesting to see how they view each other. However, this switch also makes the book lengthy. She describes the same events through both of their point of views so at times it is a bit redundant.

The ending of the novel and the events in the book were unpredictable without being unrealistic and rushed to me. I rate this book 8 stars. I really enjoyed it and liked all the twists and turns.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley. THIS was the book I've been waiting for. Psychological thrillers can become predicable, but THIS one was a surprise. Pretty Things is a tale of "who do you trust when you can't trust anyone." I loved the multiple points of view because it fleshed out the flaws and motives of both Nina and Vanessa. There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Great book. Highly recommended.

I rarely do this, but I went into this book completely blind - I didn't read the description and had no idea what the book was about. And you know what? I am convinced that it added to experience of this twisty thriller! The characters were interesting. The relationships were intriguing and the twists and turns in the plot just kept coming. Favorite game - Plot in 5 words: Heiress + Con-artist = big scam!

After seeing a lot of comments about the length of this book, I was a little worried that I would be stuck on it for a while, but it moves so fast that you forget the page count!

Nina is a con artist who follows in her mother’s footsteps, despite growing up and dreaming of being so much more. Vanessa, an Instagram influencer with a safe full of a million dollars, is her next mark.

The book is told from both women’s point of view and while some may find the chapters repetitive, I really enjoyed reading the same scenes from two different perspectives. The first half of the book has a lot of backstory and helps to set up each character’s motives, and while that means it takes a while for the plot to really start moving, I enjoyed seeing all the layers of both Nina and Vanessa. Neither of them are necessarily good people, but you still find them interesting and likable as characters on a page. With social media being such a large part of Vanessa’s life, it just goes to show you that not everything is as it appears on the surface.


Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc for my honest opinion.

I had a hard time reading this book. The author’s writing style was not to my liking, I did not like the characters and the repetition of the chapters was frustrating.

I would read another book by this author to see if it was just this book that I did not enjoy.

This novel was crazy from start to finish, in a good way! When I first started this book, I wasn't sure it was going to be for me, but after giving it a chance I really enjoyed it.
This story focuses primarily on two women. Nina, a girl who grew up with a single mother who found creative and deceptive ways to continuously get by. And Vanessa, a rich girl who has family issues of her own and struggled to find her own identity outside her family name.
Nina was a very interesting character and was given depth throughout the book that brought her to life. Vanessa was utterly frustrating to read about, but then reading things from her point of view really changed my opinion of her character.
Nina and her partner Lachlan are planning a con on Vanessa and for Nina it's personal. She was connected to Vanessa's family when she was in high school and has a grudge against them. During flashback chapters we get to understand more of how our characters got to where they are now and what events shaped them in their paths.
The twists in this book kept getting better the more I read, and I was on the edge of my seat unable to read fast enough to find out what was going to happen! The ending was unexpected and pretty well thought out. I was hoping for more with the Epilogue, but it was able to leave readers with imagining what they thought might happen next.
Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing, and Janelle Brown for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

One of the best suspense no was I've read! Brown writes a suspenseful and brilliant emotional twist of a novel. I actually find myself sas that the novel was over. Such a masterful display of conning and suspense!

The writing was shallow, but enjoyable. This was a easy read for me. The characters you hate to love. They are terrible selfish and focus on their own images. All in all this is a perfect read if you need to pass time say at a doctors office or dentist.

I received a copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were horrible, and yet you couldn't help but root for them. Nina is a con artist and Vanessa is a spoiled heiress obsessed with her insta-image. But the story takes you back to the root of their behavior, providing you with interesting insights into how and why they become this way. It really drives home that "appearances can be deceiving and no one is what they seem" theme the book has going. The story also goes back and forth between the two characters so you often replay the same event but from a different perspective. Rather than be repetitive, this does help drive the plot and I found it enjoyable.

In some parts, the writing is a little bit shallow and dragging, but for the most part it's smart, witty, and fun. And the twists? I enjoyed all but one. There's was one in particular that I didn't even see coming, and I always enjoy that. But one major twist I felt was lacking and almost too obvious. I think parts of it were just unnecessary, making a long story even longer, and could have been trimmed.

’m just here to add to what Jordy, @beauty_andthebook_ @scaredstraightreads have already said about this one because it was just as amazing as they all said it was! This has everything a great psychological thriller needs, unreliable narrators, twists, lies and most importantly, fantastic writing. The author weaves the most delicious tale of deceit and betrayal and I can’t even wait for everyone to read this one next month!

Wow! I gotta say, Pretty things was a little slow to start but I think that’s by design and it was so worth it! There is definitely a lot of buildup getting to know Nina and those around her, And then when I first began to read from Vanessa’s point of view, I became a little frustrated. All of the characters seemed so shallow, and I have a hard time staying involved in a story when I don’t like the characters. But that’s when it got really good. Because people are so complex, as are the characters in Pretty Things, and when the author really starts breaking down all of their flaws and attributes, it is nothing short of gripping. I am walking away from this book with a true appreciation for the characters, their journeys, the story, the themes, and the lessons held within the pages. Thanks to NetGalley, Janelle Brown, and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I finished Pretty Things last night, and what a wild ride it was! Thanks so much to Random House for sending me this crazy read!

Pretty Things is about Nina, the daughter of a grifter and career con woman, who grows up to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She seeks out the wealthy by lurking on their Instagram feeds, she watches them (and their possessions) and then steals their antiques and art.

Then, when Nina needs to get out of town and find a new mark, she sets out to Lake Tahoe to rent out the caretakers cottage of an Instagram fashion celebrity, Vanessa. Nina and Vanessa’s lives intersect and then collide into a train wreck that you can’t help but watch!

There are seriously so many wild twists in this book, just when I thought I knew how it was all going to pan out, bam! It takes a turn that I never expected and one which make my jaw literally drop!

In addition to the great plot and crazy reveals, Janelle Brown has created two brilliant characters with Nina and Vanessa. I loved reading about them.

Pretty Things is wonderfully crafted and perfectly paced. With social media reaching its peak, this is a timely novel that I see as a big hit this year! Pretty Things publishes 4/21/20, be sure to add it to your TBR, friends!

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

This book was fantastic! I found it to be extremely well written and really enjoyed how the author repeated so many scenes from different perspectives. This technique added depth to the story and made the reader feel a greater connection to the characters. And, what an interesting array of characters they were! No one was quite who you thought they were, and that journey of discovery was one of unending surprises.

3.5 stars. I loved the idea of the story, but I felt the back stories of the characters were too much. I started to get bored. I felt like the first 40% of the book could have been cut down by half and still achieved the same thing. On the upside, the characters were at least interesting, and I enjoyed it once the plot got going.