(3++ stars! Rounded up)
Setting is San Diego: Best friends Veronica and Nico are into art.
Veronica loves photography, she uses a camera with film (really not a digital camera) additionally has a darkroom to develops her photographs. Nico well Nico does environmentally themed installations. However, it is more chaotic performance art, which many are on the illegal side. (He is truly a unique person)

Veronica meets shy Mick at a party and hit it off. Mick is not comfortable in front of the camera but Veronica convinces her that she can become more comfortable with practice. Veronica tricks her to pose by saying there is no film in the camera. Veronica captures what she believes is the shot she has been waiting for; hence the connection to “The Picture of Dorian Gray”.
They develop a relationship and are falling in love. And now Veronica and Nico pull Mick into their dangerous art world!

Hmmm next part of the story to me was blah blah and I almost DNF

Then Yikes! What is happening? I like these characters ~ how did I miss what was really going on?
I was reading the last 1/3 of the story so fast I was getting afraid of a whiplash. In fact, this story kept me awake last night! I had to reread parts of it this morning to make sure I “got it” before writing down my thoughts.

Story is told from the POV of Mika and Veronica and then Nico steps in!

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing ~ Henry Holt and Co (BYR) for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 30, 2021

She's Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard--Oh my gosh! I can't wait to out this into the hands of my students!! I couldn't put it down.
Mick is a beautiful introvert who would rather stay at home than join the mother/daughter photoshoot her model mom insists they do, after all, they desperately need the money. Victoria is a budding photographer who feels she can captures Mick's raw beauty..and possibly her heart. And then there's Nico, Victoria's best friend and talented artist who will stop at nothing to make his art perfect.
When Victoria and Mick meet, they feel they have found what they have been looking for. Nico even invites Mick to come with them to his latest art installation, a top secret project geared to make those who make the rules about our environment stand up and take notice. As the art projects progress, so does the level of danger. What was initially freeing for Mick may be a deeper hole for her to try to escape.
Wonderfully written: well-paced with a great storyline.
Comes out March 30, 2021. #shestooprettytoburn #wendyheard #netgalley

Other than the fast-paced aspect, the writing style just wasn't for me. It was kind of hard to follow and the scenes didn't really connect. I hated the characters. I think the point was that they're supposed to be unlikable and that they have a horrible and toxic relationship, but they were also boring. I've seen some people say that it's not like The Picture of Dorian Gray at all, but I wasn't expecting it to be a direct retelling, and I think it's pretty obvious how this book draws inspiration from it.

this book was good, different than many others i have read, it explores ideas of art used to heal and to harm, to revott. it explores love and self acceptance, risk taking, truth telling. it leaves us with an open ended, possibly a second book exploring these characters

So...okay once I finished this book, I felt like I had emerged from a fever dream. The writing is hypnotic, and the plot will keep you turning the pages. The characters are awful people, their actions have little personal consequence, and the storyline goes to some real dark places. Did I like this book? I still don't know, but I can't stop thinking about it.

This story is not a retelling of Dorian Gray, but I can see how it's inspired by the famous Oscar Wilde story. Some parts are pretty out there, and Nico's obsession doesn't really make any sense to me, but there were some pretty suspenseful scenes once the story got going. The relationship between Mick and Veronica is so unhealthy it made me nauseous sometimes. There is so much manipulation, lack of consent, and disregard for boundaries that I found their relationship more obsessive rather than romantic. The level of obsessiveness, however, makes me think Heard crafted these characters like this on purpose, and it definitely contributes to the all-around wild, hazy vibes I got while reading this book.

Overall, I'd recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, out-there thriller with morally ambiguous characters. It's marketed as YA, but I'd say it's a good fit for older YA readers.

This book was an action packed whirl that I could not put down. A thriller that started off with one of the characters, Veronica, staring up watching the birds as she died. And then fast enough to give the reader whiplash there was a story of teenage angst and love. Veronica sees Mick at a party and she has to get to know her. Veronica is a photographer and Mick is a swimmer who is pathologically afraid of having her picture taken. There is some predictable bumps in their road but their love story feels realistic and was compelling. Veronica’s friends have an art installation coming up but she could never predict what they truly have planned. The writing was excellent and I liked that we got to see what was occurring from both Veronica and Mick’s perspectives. There is murder and mystery and it’s definitely a thriller, but all of that is pretty much at the second half of the book. Definitely recommend pre-ordering this one! It comes out in March 2021 and while that seems like a far ways off it’s worth the wait!

WHEW. She's Too Pretty to Burn is one of those thrillers that grabs hold and doesn't let go. The tension is a bit slow to start, but by the 25% point I was all-in, reading on in terror, sure that every character I cared about was going to die. I had to force myself to put the book down and take a breath every once in awhile.

The story - as the back cover copy indicates - is about an artist named Veronica who meets a gorgeous, messy athlete named Mick. They both get wrapped up in Veronica's BFF's performance art installations...and from there everything grows more and more chaotic, tense, and dangerous.

I haven't been so genuinely afraid for the lives of characters in ages. 10/10 would recommend.

4.5

This is a spectacular thriller. I read it in two sittings only because during the first one, I started too late in the night and accidentally fell asleep in between chapters. Oops. Both times, though, I didn't want to stop, because everything just flowed into the next event and the tension just seemed to never stop. RIP to my neck and back muscles, because they were definitely tense every moment of that. And RIP to my REM cycles that were busted after reading this. (Both very valid reasons as to why I don't usually read dark thrillers, but I will do absolutely anything for a queer teen romance.)

Without giving anything away, I'll say that the ending is the sort of thing that leaves juuust enough hanging to keep you hanging off the edge of your seat until the very last line and to keep your thoughts spinning even after the last page. I personally find endings like these leave me just on the wrong side of wanting to pull my hair off, so I would have wanted the bows tied a little more neatly, but I know that a lot of my more thriller or suspense loving friends will absolutely love this ending.

Like I said, I was drawn in mainly by the Sapphic aspect of it, but I still wound up really enjoying the darker tones and suspense. Since this is mostly a thriller that happens to have a queer romance, not really a book /about/ being queer, I have no doubt that fans of suspense who pick this up are going to have a greeeeat time reading it. 2021 is looking like a good year for books!

What a wild story! I loved this one. It kept me on the edge of my seat constantly wondering what would come next. Fast paced romance, thrill, murder..truly an awesome thriller.

This was one heck of a book! It had me in complete tatters, waiting to have it all come together! Full of suspense, thrills, chills, and shocks! I felt it was a pretty realistic, unique book! It had amazing character development, which made me glued to knowing what’s going on! It’s one I won’t forget easily, which I absolutely love in my books! Unputdownable, suspenseful, and chilling! Not to be missed, highly recommend! Clear schedules and do not start prior to bed!

Will buzz around and use lower amazon reviewer numbers on release date!

this was a really fun read, the characters were great and I enjoyed the plot that was inspired by Dorian Gray. It was a really good read and I look forward to what's next.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. for this arc in exchange for a review!
This book is the definition of aesthetically pleasing. It's so cinematic and captivating thanks to stunning prose. The minute I heard 'Picture of Dorian Gray, but it's a sexy psychological thriller,' I was sold. This YA debut was electric. I flew through this book in a day and I'm always here for more queer relationships and stories in books.
The characters are well-developed and I didn’t see the interesting turns and twists coming until I was in too deep. Highly recommend to fans of young adult and thriller books

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-arc of this book!

She's Too Pretty To Burn is a sapphic YA thriller that follows three friends, Veronica, Mick, and Nico. Inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, and set in the late-hot San Diego summer and an underground art scene, our three main characters experience love, loss, and some pretty mysterious murders.

I was really enticed by the premise of She's Too Pretty To Burn, and overall it didn't let me down. It took me a good 50 pages to feel invested, but when I did, I literally could not put this book down. The characters are awful in the best way (there really is just something about a character who makes dumb decisions rooted in their own flaws) and the writing, at a granular level, is absolutely stellar.

One thing that ended up frustrating me as a reader was that it felt pretty obvious who the murderer was as soon as that character made their first appearance. While this book is less a mystery and more a thriller, I missed the nervous anticipation that often comes with learning who the murderer is. Even so, the remaining thrills of this book were honestly pretty thrilling.

In all, She's Too Pretty To Burn was an excellent read, and one I'd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick, gripping YA.

Holy crap! This book was a wild ride!!!

This book was a modern take on Picture of Dorian Grey, I normally dont read thrillers but the premise caught my attention. Of of the characters this book focuses on, Mick who is a girl on the edge and a series of events completely tip her over. I don't really have the words to describe this book, I could not put it down.

My only critique is the last few characters seemed to lacked the suspense and I felt out of place. If the last few characters where cut then this book would have been perfect.

It was still an extremely enjoyable read and I highly recommend it. Many thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author Wendy Heard for allowing me to read and review this ARC of the title She's Too Pretty to Burn!

I had been seeing this gorgeous cover everywhere I looked, and for good reason! This was a sexy, psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. This was full of twists and turns and was perfectly provocative. The imagery found within was breathtaking, and I absolutely loved these characters. This gender-swapped reimagining of Dorian Gray is a for sure read for anyone, quite honestly. You won't be disappointed!

Thank you again to those listed above for allowing me to read and review this novel!

She's Too Pretty To Burn begins as a love story between Mick, beautiful and broken, and Veronica, a student of photography uninspired by her art. When Veronica sees Mick, she is immediately smitten and desperate to capture her on film, despite Mick's fear of the camera and giving these parts of herself. Soon they are falling in love, but constantly there remains a question of whether this is a healthy relationship, and who wants what from whom. Complicating matters is Nico, Veronica's best friend and performance artist, obsessed and driven by dangerous and subversive acts of artistic expression. After a fire and a string of murders, is anyone really who they say they are? And who really has the power?

Although this novel is ostensibly inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, I can't comment on that since I've never read the source material. I found this novel to be a compelling and thrilling read; although some of the twists were clear, being able to see what was about to happen did not in any way diminish the enjoyment of the novel. In a lot of ways, this novel felt like watching a horror film - it doesn't matter if you can see the jump scare coming, you're still going to jump when it happens. I was surprised by how engaged I became in the novel and how much I really wanted to know what was happening next. Although I did enjoy the ending, I didn't enjoy how open-ended the ending felt. It felt slightly rushed, but also made me feel as though the author was leaving something open for a potential sequel. This is a strategy that isn't my favorite in novels; even in a series, I feel like the novel should feel complete and whole as a unit. The last line of the novel was very strong and compelling for sure, and does make me want to know more (although I'm not sure we'll get it). Overall, I would rate this 3.5/5 stars.

I had very high hopes for this YA thriller because it was advertised as a Dorian Gray retelling. I especially watched the movie so I could really appreciate what the book would do. It quickly turned out though that this is not exactly a Dorian Gray retelling, the inspiration is more subtle. That's absolutely fine of course, and while I would have loved to see a close retelling, it didn't directly impact my enjoyment that it wasn't. But I do think it's important to know this before you go in, so you won't feel disappointed.

I think this was a well written, very slowly paced but quickly readable thriller. I usually really like when the suspense quietly builds up in the first half and then spirals out of control in the second half, and I think the book did that well. However, it was just not entirely my cup of tea. I didn't feel super invested in the story.

4.5 stars for this twisty thriller! Unreliable narrators abound, you never know who you can trust. Mick, Veronica, and Nico are all messed up. You could see any and all of them being the killer at some point.

I read Wendy's Kill Club and loved it, so I was super excited to delve into her YA work! This is an amazing YA thriller. The character read at a teenage level. There's problems with parents, friends, sports teams. All this on top of installation art - which happens to be illegal, and oh yeah, murder. Multiple murders.

I read this in less than a day, which is a feat for me. I could not put it down. I couldn't figure out who to trust, and that just made me want to read it more and more.

The ending was great. It wrapped up nicely, but still left you wondering. I don't know if that makes sense, but I felt it was the perfect ending.

Definitely recommend if you love unreliable narrators or ya thrillers!

My favorite part is when a title is tied into a book and you reach that point of "ah ha!" and realize where it comes from and this books fulfills that feel-good feeling for me perfectly. I vaguely remember reading the book that inspired this one back in high school and honestly, this books rekindled an urge to read it again that I never thought I'd be caught saying, let alone feeling. The rush of the descent into chaos from Dorian Gray was deliciously recaptured in this book and I enjoyed every minute. Please tell me there's a sequel!

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book*

"She's Too Pretty to Burn" is a reminder that people aren't always all that they seem. There's crazy talented, and there is just plain crazy.

Mick feels isolated--even in a party full of people, when she meets Veronica, a budding photographer, As the girls grow closer, Mick's life begins to crumble, and Veronica's star is rising--entirely thanks to Mick. Unsure of how to put things back together, Mick finds herself turning to Veronica's best friend (also an "artist") Nico for help.

This book took a dark and unexpected turn that I won't spoil. It is a quick easy read.

Teen angst but make it artsy with a side of murder.