I loved this book. I love the art scene, and the characters Nico and Veronica. Then Maybe ck enters and the story explodes. Two girls fall deeply in love. As their relationship develops, we have arson, murders and a stalker. This one holds attention until the end. If you want a story you are unable to put down, this may be it.

I'm very conflicted about this book. On one hand, it delivered all of the elements I want in a thriller but I think I went into it expecting something slightly different and was slightly let down. This story is full of unlikeable flawed characters which I really enjoyed and it's an incredibly fast read. I ended up giving it 3.5 stars overall and I think that for the most part folks who are fans of thrillers will really enjoy this.
Warning a few spoilers ahead: This book has been pitched as a sapphic murderous Dorian Grey retelling, and the whole time I expected that to mean that the girls were the ones who were doing the killing but instead it ended up being a different character entirely.
As an educator working with LGBTQ+ youth I think it's super important that I also mention a few aspects of Mick and Veronica's relationship. There were some big red flags for me from the get-go when it came to the main WLW relationship around consent, healthy relationship behavior, etc. They were extremely toxic together (which fit the story) but I felt like at the end of the day things wrapped up a little too neatly for them. Even without the bigger story arc, I think that there needed to be a bigger conversation around abusive behaviors. Veronica's mom raised some pretty reasonable concerns only to brush them off.

Also this might be my favorite 2021 cover! It's so pretty.

I don't think I've ever read a retelling of Dorian Gray and I was interested to see how this would play out. In place of Dorian, we have Mick, a swimmer trying to make it to graduation so she can escape her mother. Mick hates having her picture taken, a combination of low self esteem and the feeling that if her picture is shared, she loses a piece of herself. Veronica is the photographer who recognizes how beautiful Mick is. She eventually takes an amazing picture of Mick and it puts both girls in the spotlight.

Nico takes over Lord Henry's part, encouraging Mick to rebel by joining his art team. Unfortunately, the 'art' seems more about hurting people than just bringing attention to environmental causes. Mick feels pulled apart, in one direction by Veronica who loves her but wants her to be her model and the other by Nico, giving her an outlet for her emotions but in a dangerous way.

The pacing on this is great and as things built up, it got tense and I wasn't sure who would survive. The art installs were insane and the creativity behind them was well thought out. Veronica and Mick definitely aren't a perfect couple, but they care about each other and will risk their lives if it comes to it. I enjoyed reading this and thought the ending was pretty perfect. I'm so excited for this to come out to the world!

I received this advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This thriller tended towards a romance for more than 50% of the book. When it finally turned to thriller, I could not put it down.

Heard’s YA debut held me by the throat from page one and didn’t let go. It’s a thriller by every definition, but there’s a tender heart at its center that amplifies the thriller aspects. I cared deeply about Veronica and Mick. These are smart, resourceful girls who are easy to root for even as I wanted to slap them at times.

I flew through this book, especially the action-packed last third which had me gasping. The ominous ending makes me hope for a sequel. Whether or not that happens, Heard’s adult fiction fans will be equally impressed with this YA debut.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Henry Holt books for the ARC.

This is going to be the BOOK of 2021 and I can't wait. Since there is a while to the pub date, I don't want to give too much away but its a great read and I couldn't put it down! Such a great one!

This book was really good but I feel like I wasn't in the right head space when I read it. overall great book and I'll probably read it again when i'm back into thrillers and be 100% obsessed.

I had a hard time getting through this book. I was really bored and had to force myself to keep reading. This may not be worth it for me to review on any social media it was just not for me. Thanks for the opportunity

Set against the warm backdrop of San Diego, two girls’ romance takes on a chilling twist in the face of violence in the name of beauty and art. The question arises—what can make you immortal? Love? Or art?

I jumped on this book as soon as I read the summary—a retelling of Dorian Gray? A sapphic retelling of Dorian Gray? I couldn’t have asked for something better. The novel was a fun read in the end, and it took a few turns that I wasn’t quite expecting, wasn’t quite on board with, but I loved the symbolism and the parallels. I actually wish the story was longer, I would have loved to see the suspense dragged out a little more, felt a little more of the build up. I also would have just loved to get a little more time between Veronica and Mick, they were what drew me in, and I think they have a lot more to give. Overall, loved seeing the representation in such a fun way on a classic.

Because She’s Too Pretty to Burn.

So, like, there’s this chick named Mick (short for Micaela). She’s, like, really pretty. People yearn to take her picture, and have trouble thinking of her as an actual person, because she’s too pretty and therefore pretty much made for objectification. She doesn’t like having her picture taken. She just wants to be taken seriously for her swimming and get the hell away from her mom.

Mick meets a girl. Veronica is all curves and femininity, an aspiring photographer. Veronica tricks Mick into taking an amazing photo, pressures her into allowing the picture to be shared on social media, and introduces Mick to subversive artists while herself potentially on the verge of becoming a commercial one.

Veronica know this guy named Nico. Nico is so close to Veronica he calls her “wife.” Nico is also an artist.

Three young people, none of them necessarily the picture of mental health, becoming entangled results in… Arson. Murder. Alfred-Hitchcock-movie-craziness.

I really enjoyed this one. The characters, when left to themselves and their own thoughts, are often a bit annoying. But teenagers are annoying, so this is reasonable. The plot moves along fairly quickly, and the novel is told from the three main characters’ points of view, with this rotation of voice preventing you from getting too annoyed and hurling your e-reader across the room. There is also just some batshit crazy in the plot of this novel. If you’re a plot reader, I highly recommend. Also recommend if you’re looking for a frothy, amusing read – like a pumpkin spice latte, there’s not a ton of meat to this story, but it’s definitely a fun, wild ride.

This book was good, I have to give it that, but I'll admit that I almost DNF'd it. Beautiful cover, excellent summary, I was thoroughly excited to read. As I read, I found that I loved the characters. They were all very distinct and well-written. All complicated in their own way, which makes the feel that much more real.

Only reason why I have to give 4 stars instead of 5 is because I waited a while for anything to happen. It was like there were these exciting plot points being dropped in. Someone watching from a distance, someone drowning, and everything fizzled so fast, and I couldn't tell when the thrilling part was going to happen? The pacing on its own was fine, but I think the overall mystery aspect could have been a thread sewn in earlier on rather than about halfway through.

Overall,, at the end, it was a good book . 4.5!

The words use and overall review shouldn’t reflect personally on the author or any other of her series and books.

Thrilling Book that keeps you glue to your seat!

No spoiler review.

This is my first time reading anything written by this author and I hope is not the last.
Even though some part were predictable to me, it still kept me entertained. It fell dark, artsy and poetic in a way. A trio of complex characters. I don’t know why but I find this type of character beautiful, like they are a mess, complicated and dark but that’s what made them beautiful.

Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the ARC.

**Thank you to the publishers for an earc copy of this book. All opinions are my own**

I really enjoyed this book and I especially liked the whole queer picture of Dorian Grey type story. I don't think I realized when I started reading that it's a thriller. It doesn't really get into the mystery until about 56% of the way through which kind of makes me upset because usually with a thriller, the mystery starts earlier on. I did like the mystery aspect of it though and I would hope that with the way the book ended, we will eventually get a companion novel or sequel. It ends in a way where it could be set up for either.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an early version of She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard, in exchange for my honest review.

I missed the “inspired by Dorian Gray” before I read this and now that I know that it changes some feelings I had.
It took me a very long time to get into this book. You have Mick, who is a pretty, sporty, shy, 17-yr old girl. Veronica, who is a pretty, artsy, outgoing, 17-yr old girl. And Nico, a good looking, artsy, 19-yr old guy. Mick and Veronica meet at a party and there’s a spark. Veronica introduces Mick to Nico, and I’m left asking why Veronica and Nico are friends?!
The writing overall, but I just didn’t like the characters. I’m still trying to figure out why some flawed characters work for me and some don’t, I can’t explain it, but these did not work for me. Again, why were Nico and Veronica friends? I never felt like we saw why they were so close. Then you have Mick’s mom, oh my gosh I’m so sorry to anyone who’s ever had a mom like her mom. Veronica’s mom who I was happy to see a parent who was as sex-positive and supportive of her daughter, since I feel like we hear and see more of the opposite. BUT her absolute trust in her 17 year old daughter made me cringe. My mom trusted me that much and all I did was abuse that trust. She didn’t know it, just like Veronica’s mom didn’t, until it was too late. I wanted to like her, she’s artsy and laid back and loves her daughter, but it just made me anxious.
I liked the roughness of the insta love, although more like insta lust, Mick and Veronica have. They are young and young relationships are usually messy, even destructive. I liked that Heard allowed them to be these two young people who learned to be better people and better together. For me that is what made the story worth is. Beyond the toxic relationships and manipulation is a story about two girls finding young love and learning to be better people not only for themselves, but for the person they love.
I wanted to love this with my whole heart but the dangerous, harmful, illegal events that take place made it very hard to enjoy. I don’t have kids, but the entire time I was reading I wanted to call my family and tell them to lock their pre-teens up because if this is what they are heading for, I’m terrified.

What a ride! I devoured this in about 24 hours. Usually, I am into YA fantasy and horror, but now I’m ready to dive into the rest of the author’s catalog of thrillers. You really get the impression this is from a California native & I love the multi-POV storytelling from both Veronica & Mick. There were to many layers to these characters & it’s a book you’ll rush through, then be sad it’s over. In fact, I enjoyed this plot & storytelling far more than adult thrillers I’ve read.

I was really thrilled to be granted a #netgalley eARC of She's Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard. This tale is fundamentally 1 POV thriller, 2 girl's that fall in love and their male friend Nico. The two girls couldn't be more different - Veronica an artist and photographer who likes to take risks, which to some maybe considered almost criminal. Veronica has very connected relationship to her mom whereas, Mick, has a very caustic relationship. Mick is a swimmer with a horrible home life, she doesn't like parties nor does she like to photographed. I loved the different female relationships - not just the edgy, intense romantic relationship that goes on between Mick and Veronica, but the mother-daughter relationships with both girls. Having the same age teenager now, I really appreciated how Wendy developed these relationships.

While these girls and their adventures start of like many typical coming of age adventures, it really takes a twist when the art takes a dark turn and then we are on a roller coaster ride to the last page ... and beyond. The idea of what part of ourselves are we comfortable with, that scare us and what that part that drives us to do things out of character - really begs the question of how well does one really know themselves. It is a much darker read than I imagined, and it really did a great job with both the intensity of the plot and the characters. At certain points, I could not put this down. I thoroughly loved it and can't wait to read more from this author. I gave it 5 stars because I loved the characters and even though we went down the rabbit hole a few times, it was a wild ride. Thanks to #netgalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing Books for this ARC. #shestooprettytoburn

I loved this book so much! I read it in less than 24 hours because it was just so good and easy to read. The alternating perspectives of Mick and Veronica were perfect for this story. As a reader I could easily shift between the two, making their characters that much more dynamic. I wish their relationship wasn't just over the course of ten days, but can also see how this highlights how quickly things can spiral and develop for young adults. This book also made it feel incredibly normal and common place that the two would be together and I really appreciated how it didn't feel like the focal point of the story. It was just who they were. I appreciated the ending as well, but it also definitely left me wanting more. I cannot wait to revisit this closer to its publication date and to recommend it to all of my students.

She’s Too Pretty to Burn immediately caught my eye with the premise of a sapphic thriller, inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray. When Mick and Veronica meet for the first time, Veronica is fascinated by how Mick hates being photographed. Mick is focused on the swim team and helping her mom pay the rent, while Veronica is focused on her photography and art. A photo that was never supposed to be taken goes viral, creating very different consequences for Veronica and Mick. The photo sends both girls down dangerous paths and they’ll need to fight for their lives before the last page...

Wendy Heard does a fantastic job with incorporating elements from Dorian Gray, along with a murderous stalker and twisty social media exploits. The plot builds until you feel that you can’t possibly look away. She’s Too Pretty to Burn addresses what it means to be a muse, image ownership in a digital age, jealousy, and falling in love! This book was a breath of fresh air. I loved the LGBTQ rep, clever side characters, and masterful unraveling of the menacing climax. Both Veronica and Mick were compelling characters, together and apart, so to see their love story unfold was beautiful.

She’s Too Pretty to Burn is the perfect book for those looking for a thriller and intense romance in one story. A glorious and fast-paced adventure, this is not one to miss. This is my first book by Wendy Heard, but it won’t be my last! You do not need to have read The Picture of Dorian Gray to enjoy this book. I highly recommend She’s Too Pretty to Burn! She’s Too Pretty to Burn releases on March 30, 2021. Thank you to Wendy Heard, Henry Holt and Co., and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, I admit it. I moved this ARC up from #18 to #1 as I just couldn't wait! I love Wendy Heard's books as they are everything I like in a thriller: they're dark, they're edgy, they're chilling, and they're intriguing! It's an unlikely love story set in San Diego; Veronica is outgoing, adventurous, and a budding photographer. Mick is her opposite; she is shy and unassuming, throwing all of her efforts into the swim team at her high school. So when they meet accidentally at a party, the chemistry flares and they begin to explore. But Veronica's friend, Nico who loves performance art is also an activist and as he lures the girls into his schemes, things get dicey very quickly. And if you've read Heard's others, you know you are in for plenty of surprises that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end! And this one begs for a sequel (and if not, I"M begging for a sequel)!

I thought the description of this book sounded great and original so I was immediately interested. The descriptions of the art installations and photography were really well done and I was easily able to conjure up images to match the descriptions. However, I felt that the characters (especially Mick) fell a little flat. There was a lot of back and forth between Veronica and Mick that felt very childish, which makes sense given their ages but I thought it kind of dragged on a bit. The best character was that of Nico and I loved reading the parts with him in them. I wish that were more action parts than scenes of them talking about the art stuff though. I felt hat the ending was a bit rushed and would have liked it drawn out a bit more