This is a an unputdownable novel with great character development and a rip roaring story. Nina has struggled to get an education and change the trajectory of her life, but still she ends up grifting with a handsome friend of her mother's. Their latest mark is from a family that disparaged Nina in the past in a way that marked her for life. Vanessa is a glittering Instagram star who is living the #Vlife, being whisked all over the world by brands so that she can post wearing them. For some reason, she has returned to her family's freezing stone pile of a mansion on the shores of Lake Tahoe, hunkered down, renting out the caretaker's cottage on AirBnB.

There's a lot of juicy backstory and good twists. You'll learn about grifting, which seems like a lot of work for little return. I wish there'd been more about the fencing and resale of historic furniture (think about that one for a minute) but I'm glad there was as much as there was.

The problem with grifting is that it is possible for the deception to seep in to unexpected corners of one's life. This happens to Nina, and to Vanessa. Janelle Brown has the craft of the relatable but unreliable narrator down pat.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the nod to read and review "Pretty Things." While you're waiting for this novel to be published, read Brown's "Watch Me Disappear," a similarly entrancing read.

~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader

Expect the unexpected in Janelle Brown’s latest novel, “Pretty Things.”

Nina is a con-artist who tricks less deserving individuals out of their money. She focuses on “pretty individuals” who happily post all they have on social media. Nina uses those posts to stalk and catch her prey.

Nina’s mother is out of remission for cancer and insurance will not pay the cost of her mother’s much needed treatment. Nina needs money fast at the same time that Los Angeles area cops are appearing at her door. As a result, she and her boyfriend, Lachlan, flee to Lake Tahoe for their biggest con yet, against Liebling family social media star Vanessa.

Yet, this is not Nina’s first exposure to the Liebling family and in flashbacks, the reader learns why this con is personal. Nina developed a friendship with Vanessa's little brother, Benny, but when the friendship turned to first love, his dad sent Nina and her mom packing, worried about Nina's "bad influence."

This story hops along at a fast pace and is told ithe point of views of Nina and Vanessa. Lake Tahoe and the Stonehaven estate are characters themselves. Readers love novels that take place in creepy mansions, no? I had not heard the term of "social media influencer" before reading this novel and I was intrigued with what makes someone like Vanessa share every moment of her life online. For the most part, Brown keeps her reader engaged without losing him/her. Nor does Brown sacrifice character growth for plot, though there are plenty of twists and turns with the latter. I especially appreciate that Brown does not resort to stereotypes--Vanessa is not the poor little rich girl nor is Nina necessary the one you always feel sorry for. If you are looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing throughout its almost 500 pages, I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. My thanks also to Random House Publishing and the author, Janelle Brown.

Really enjoyed this thriller! Fast paced and gripping, it captured my attention right from the first page. I think the blurb captures the plot pretty well, so won't say much about that. The story is told from the perspective of the female leads, Nina and Vanessa and moves seamlessly between past and present. Both characters are pretty fleshed out, Nina particularly. Her teenage romance was especially bittersweet. I loved all the various con details and the Lake Tahoe setting (from having visited a few times). The ending, when we get there, does seem to be a bit of a let down after all the twists and turns so far. But, it doesn't take away from how good the story is overall. Recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ARC.

Note: I received an advanced readers' copy in exchange for my honest review of this book!

What a fabulous book! I do not want to give away too much, but this book has already lit up bookstagram for good reason! This is my first read by Janelle Brown, but certainly not my last!!!

You know, in a warped, conniving, murderous way I’d say this novel is a story about friendship. Nina and Lachlan are grifters who scope out mansions of the rich and steal “only what won’t be missed”. It’s a profession Nina comes by naturally seeing how she was raised by a mother who earned a living under “questionable “ means. Now her mother is battling cancer, and the bills are adding up Nina decides to embark upon the heist of a lifetime. But this time she will have to revisit her past. She knows where to find the money she needs... in a safe in Stonehaven, a place that possesses a plethora of childhood memories
Our other narrator is Vanessa, the new mistress of Stonehaven. Upon the death of her father, the social media sensation, Vanessa decides to return to the family estate, a place that holds emotional childhood memories as well.
Nina and Vanessa’s lives will indeed collide, resulting in the unearthing of decades-old secrets, betrayal and murder.
This was such a great weekend read. The writing and plot sucked me in immediately, and I admit to staying awake until the end. There were some lovely plot twists and turns that kept me interested until the final page.

I was lucky enough to get a free galley copy of Pretty Things from Random House. You'll be able to get your hands on a copy in April!

Another amazing read from Janelle Brown-- she continues to surprise her readers and I will continue to have her a go to recommendation!!!

4.5 Stars! This book was amazing - perfectly plotted, very entertaining. I almost didn't want to finish because I didn't want the story to come to an end. A novel about "two brilliant, damaged women try[ing] to survive the greatest game of deceit and destruction they will ever play."

"Two wildly different women--one a grifter, the other an heiress--are brought together by the scam of a lifetime . . .on the cold shores of Lake Tahoe, where their intertwined lives give way to a winter of aspiration and desire, duplicity and revenge." Nina and Vanessa have a sort of shared history - Nina was friends (or more) with Vanessa's little brother Benny back in high school, until events ripped them apart. Nina has come to Lake Tahoe with her boyfriend/partner-in-crime Lachlan to con Vanessa out of her money. Double and triple crossing ensue!

The other aspects that I enjoyed about this novel is that it's also about identity - who you are, what makes you who you are, and do you have an identity if no one is watching?

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC.

There are some books that when you pick them up and begin reading you know you are going to instantly adore them. This novel was love at first read. Alternating chapters from two points of view form the basis of the storyline. However, because both characters see the events from one perspective, the reader is enlightened twice. That technique creates tension and intrigue. It also enlightens you with two first person narratives. Many of the musings about the effects of the ubiquitous social media are so on target, I found myself jotting down some of them to remember and quote later. The writing is seamless and the novel seduces you in with its mystery and cleverness. This is going to be a best seller for sure and it rightfully deserves the accolades it will garner.

I usually read so books very fast, but I read this slowly, relishing every sentence, every paragraph. Excellent writing, delicious story, incredible characters. I will so look forward to any other book this author will write.

This was a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. This was such a good read. I hope to beable to read more by this author.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

A captivating, fun suspenseful read. It's got so many plot twists which makes it so enjoyable and surprise! Nothing bad happens so it makes it a fun book for everyone!

A fun, suspenseful novel where nothing terrible, or horrible happens! There were a few twists.
My only real problem was the fact that the plot would thicken nicely, and then the author would switch to a different character POV, which drained all the tension and excitement that had built up. Overall, i did enjoy the book.

"Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC of this book."

Full of plot twists, it is difficult to decide which of the two main characters to sympathize. One born into privilege one raised on the wrong side of the tracks--but, both paths come with their own set of challenges. Knowing who to trust and trusting who you love can be difficult to navigate. "Pretty Things" keeps you guessing until the end. Throughout, you are left to grapple with who is in the right and who caused the most hurt.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a *light* thriller. It won't keep you up at night or have you double checking that your doors are locked, but it will keep you interested.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Random House in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

At first the description and cover in my opinion was extremely misleading but in the best way possible. Pretty Things tells the story of Nina a criminal destined to continue the feat her mother started years ago, Vanessa an heiress that is set to make her mark on this world and Lachlan Nina's boyfriend and partner and crime. They all meet in Lake Tahoe and realize that they have more in common than they think. They all must band together on the brink of survival and their fate rest in their hands alone. It was such a thrill to read and I could not believe all the plot twists and outcome of this book. I know our community will appreciate this book and we can't wait to share it with them.

We will consider adding this title to our Adult Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I absolutely loved this book! A fascinating psychological exploration of (mainly) two women that veers into thriller territory at times. It kept me spellbound and interested, and surprised me several times. My one critique- it could have been about 40 pages shorter, particularly at the end, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel. Well done!

This is going to be one of the biggest hits of the 2020 year in books. It is a fast paced buzz book that focuses on social influencers and all the drama and psychological twists that can come with it, which is THE thing right now. But I am so glad it was written, because it got me hook, line and sinker.

The book is done from different POV and timelines, which is becoming a "thing" recently that I am all for. Nina is a con artist and Vanessa is a rich influencer. How their paths cross and what comes from this collusion will leave you stuck to your seat to the very last page.

I immediately went to grab the other books she has written and I cannot wait for more to come. I don't want to delve to deeply into the plot, because the more blind you go in, the better it will be. What I can say is go, go now and get this book as soon as it comes out.

This isn't a high-minded literary novel, but it is a completely of-the-moment, juicy page turner with true emotional stakes, believable characters, twists that are legitimately surprising but actually make sense, and a satisfying ending. I loved it.

It's rare that tech is woven so naturally into a story - Pretty Things didn't feel forced or clunky and kept me up reading well past my bedtime. So glad to have found this and will be looking for more of Janelle Brown's writing.

I absolutely loved this book! Full of twists and turns, I never knew who was conning who or what to believe by the end! The writing invoked empathy even for characters I wasn't supposed to like, and I became so invested in their lives I was sad to reach the end.
We have a wealthy heiress, her brother in an institution, a mom and daughter who have learned the art of the con, and the daughter's partner in crime. All this adds up to many tricks, surprises, and things I never could have predicted which I love in a good mystery/fiction novel. I found it intriguing and almost refreshing in the world of mysteries these days and I would highly highly recommend it! Good read to start the new year, and thank you for the ARC!

I almost finished this on a long flight tonight.We landed with about 25 pages to go! I was actually mad we landed. I loved it. A fresh thriller with the classic, rich girl, poor girl theme. It is told from both perspectives. It has crime, fraud, revenge and everything you need to keep your interest. I received this with no promise of a favorable review. It bit really wild at the end but has a nice wrap up..I highly recommend it.