“She was made to be photographed by me. I was made to photograph her.”

Have you ever been inside a gas station at 3am? Have you ever been driving down a dark road in the middle of the night with no one else in sight? That is what She’s Too Pretty To Burn feels like. Beautiful, mysterious, chilling, longing; I felt it all reading this book. The imagery of blazing fires and the symbolism of death made me feel like I should be back in high school annotating a classic novel, but in a good way. Wendy Heard captured my attention and didn’t let go for the entirety of the book. The ending had my literally on the edge of my seat, desperate to know what was going to happen next. And that’s not even to mention the brilliant yearning between the two main characters, Mick and Veronica. It was refreshing to finally read a lesbian romance with no homophobia in sight. If you’re looking for a good sapphic thriller, She’s Too Pretty To Burn is the perfect start.

Someone is watching Veronica die in the desert . I liked the dramatic beginning. Liz fusses at Mick to make new friends. Her mom wants Mick to do a photo shoot with her. I lost interest after the beginning.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this novel.

This was one of my most anticipated upcoming releases and it definitely lived up to all my expectations. This novel is pitched as a “sexy psychological thriller reimagining of The Picture of Dorian Gray” (sounds like an automatic five star read in my book) and it is exactly that. From the very first page I was immediately hooked and couldn’t put this book down. This is a beautifully written, fast paced, and thrilling read. She’s Too Pretty to Burn is by far one of my favorite reads of the year and I am very eager to read more from this author in the future.

I’ve been following this book since it was announced because a) inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray and b) wlw protagonists! Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Thrilling from start to finish, She’s Too Pretty to Burn examines how far one can go for art for art’s sake.

Mick is deathly afraid of having her picture taken; that is, until she meets Veronica at a party and she convinces her to let her take one of her. The picture goes viral and Mick gets entangled in Veronica and her friend Nico‘s world of dark art installations. But then things take a turn when people begin to die; will this be a summer they survive?

It’s been, oh, about five years since I read The Picture of Dorian Gray for school, but I remember enough of it to say that this isn’t a straight retelling (pun intended!). She’s Too Pretty to Burn follows the same character dynamics of Dorian, Basil, and Henry (Mick, Veronica, and Nico, respectively), rather than the actual plot of Oscar Wilde’s book. The three of them had such a twisted dynamic, and I couldn’t look away from them.

Art is also an important theme in this book; much of the plot revolves around Veronica’s and Nico’s art although they differ in many ways. Veronica wants to be a professional photographer but her work isn’t noticed until the picture of Mick goes viral. Meanwhile, Nico creates eclectic art installations that call out important issues; he’ll make people see what he wants them to. These installations grow darker and more twisted as they all fall into the danger of good art.

I didn’t think the book was as dark as I thought it would be until I reached the second half. It takes quite a turn, and I was so entranced by the plot that I couldn’t put the book down. I will say that I didn’t think the ending was as impactful because the darker characterizations weren’t developed as much in the first half. Still, I really enjoyed this book!

There is a sapphic relationship in this book! Mick and Veronica are infatuated with each other from the first time they see each other. It’s definitely not healthy at first, but I think by the end, they grow healthier.

This book was honestly such a wild ride from start to finish. I loved the plot and the characters, and I couldn’t put it down. If you enjoy the themes of The Picture of Dorian Gray, twisted thrillers, or sapphic protagonists, I definitely recommend She’s Too Pretty to Burn!

--Thank you to Henry Holt & Company, NetGalley, and Wendy Heard for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.--

Let me just start off my review by saying it deserves the five stars.

“She’s Too Pretty to Burn” is a 2020 YA psychological thriller written by Wendy Heard. It details the story of photographer Veronica and swimmer Mick, finding each other on the outskirts of a party they both find to be boring. They explore the city around them when Veronica finds out Mick doesn’t like her picture being taken and makes it her duty, so to speak, to find a place to take a “fake” photo of Mick so that she can feel better being in front of a camera. Turns out the roll of film that Veronica has in her camera does indeed still have a few shots left, and a few clicks on an empty train later, Mick is shoved into public eyes, for millions of people to see.

If only that were their only concern, but that’d also make for a less lackluster book. Enter Nico Varalica, the best friend of Veronica and golden boy in the eyes of Veronica’s mother. He takes Veronica and Mick to the underground San Diego art scene, where the artists hide behind bandanas in case they are invaded by the police. Nico’s anger with a certain Congressional official spurs on the execution of four installments of live art. His presence in her life takes Mick onto a journey she’ll never forget.
This was a bizarre novel. At the beginning, I couldn’t get into it and I wasn’t even sure which one was Mick and which one was Veronica. Then, I picked it back up again and I finished the forty chapters I had left from day until night. It is an absolutely addicting story and I didn’t expect myself to get wrapped up in it. Now I haven’t read The Picture of Dorian Gray yet, so I can’t make any comparisons to the novels, but I am certain that it is a modern retelling of the original story by Oscar Wilde.

I won’t be able to say enough about the novel as a whole without giving spoilers, but maybe it’s better that you find out on your own what really happens to Mick and Veronica. The novel takes you by the hand, gently at first, then yanks you into the abyss that Nico created for the sake of art.

I will spare you a piece of advice: make sure you’re in the right mindset to consume this novel, especially the last ten or fifteen chapters. It's branded to be a "sexy psychological thriller," and I think that's a great description. The book emphasizes on the psychological thriller, and the romance is the side piece and I definitely prefer it that way. Yes, it is essential to the plot that Mick and Veronica like each other, but it isn’t the entire plot. When I was finishing the book, it was about 1 in the morning. The last ten chapters shook my core and I was actually concerned whether or not I'd be able to sleep well after reading.

Moving onto the plotting, I think Wendy Heard is just amazing. I truly appreciate authors that take the time to plan and plot meticulous points that will eventually be the tipping point of a novel. This careful planning only makes the story richer and more clever. She placed events in the book that don’t make complete sense in the beginning, but by the end, you begin to see some of the puzzle pieces to the big picture. By the last chapter, it is left open enough that even the big picture is not fully revealed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wendy Heard has plans to create a sequel or spin-off novel, but it would also be good to end the story right there and keep readers questioning what happens next.

I enjoyed the characters almost as much as I loved the plot. Nico is a great antagonist, and I’ll be honest with you: I was pretty surprised to find out more and more about Nico’s identity as the novel progressed. To have the last chapter in Nico’s perspective is absolutely jarring and you have his thoughts as the last words in the novel. I also think it's crazy that we only finally see Nico's perspective when the story has progressed past the initial installations. He's the only one who knows what's really going on and at this point, we see that Nico is capable of anything.

That’s the best thing about this novel: there’s just more to discover, even when you think you know them. Mick and Veronica’s romantic relationship is put to the wayside when the antics with Nico start piling up, but it is evident that they don’t need to be kissing or hugging to be seen as caring for one another. This is the kind of friendship or relationship we should be striving for, even if they aren’t perfect. We should strive to be kind without asking for anything in return, and they saved each other from imminent doom.

I want to talk more about it but you all deserve to form your own opinions about the book. There’s one thing for certain: I think you’ll love it. I’m not a fan of thrillers; in fact, this is probably the first thriller I’ve read and I am head over heels for this book. World, you better be ready for the release of this book. I am certain this will take off to the stars.

She’s Too Pretty to Burn is pretty solid, and hooks you from the very start. I legit binged this in a single afternoon and have zero regrets.

The book follows Mick, a shy swimmer with family problems, and Veronica, a photographer searching for her next muse. They meet by chance at a party and instantly become infatuated with each other. Unfortunately their love bubble doesn’t last for long, loyalties are tested, and the lines between obsession and desire become blurred. There may or may not be some ecoterrorism and murder, as well.

Such a gripping read!

Also shout out to Netgalley for giving me early access to this book! Thank you!

This book is exactly what you want in a young adult thriller. Mick is a teenager on the edge. She has a conniving horrible mother, a selfish best friend, nonexistent father, and is looking to set something on fire. Veronica is a spoiled narcissist completely focused on her photography. With alternating pov chapters we get an inside look as each girl circles closer and closer to destruction. It is racked full of suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Not one of the characters is a good human being, but yet you find yourself rooting for the heroines to win. It's a molotov cocktail of secrets, lies, murder, and deception. This book is on fire, and I know people are going to be talking about long after it's release.

This book was a pretty good thriller. I think that in some places the pacing could have been executed because the beginning of this book seemed slow to me. That being said I finished the book in less than a day because the author really describes the world well and draws you into the story. I also just felt that the ending could have been better polished because it did end awkwardly, but it seemed intentional at the same time. This book kind of had my thoughts all over the place, but I would suggest this to someone that loves thrillers for sure.

Oh. My.
<i><u>W O W</u>

Wowowowowowowowww</I>

[opens window, opens fridge, sits in a tub filled with ice, straps on a ventilator]

Ya’ll. <I>Y’alllllllllllll</I>
What. A. Ride.

Some people will hate this.
It’s definitely very YA, there’s no denying that. I can even see sophisticated Middle Grader really devouring this. . . And yet, so did I.

Honestly, if the romance aspect had been hetero... I probably would’ve DNF’d. I find hetero romances in YA to often be tiresome tropes. And this is coming from a bi, genderqueer, cis womxn who’s in a cis hetero marriage. Lol.
The only exception to that for me was Holly Black’s <I>The Cruel Prince</I> series, which not only had a hetero romance, but a damn <i>love triangle</i>... normally dynamics I would throw a book in a dumpster fire for, but it really works in those.

<B>I digress...</b>

This book was pitched as inspired by <I>The Picture of Dorian Gray</I> and I can kiiiiinda see that, but I think I went into this expecting that exact archetype, and did scratch my head the entire way through comparing the two. It felt more <I>The Virgin Suicides</I> meets <I>You</I> to me with how dark it gets, tbh.

That last chapter? <I>Whew!</I> Goosebumps.


Despite this, I honestly ate it up. Finishing it in just about 8 hours of active reading time. It’s got great, conversational prose, clear perspective switch indicators at the beginning of each chapter, and is packed with ....

<i>A C T I O N ! ! ! !</I>

I also really appreciate that this book doesn’t take itself too seriously. I kind of dislike when YA Thrillers try to act super sophisticated and have a lot of “Gotcha!” moments. This didn’t feel that way to me and it made its twists feel so much more natural than most in its category.

It’s really exactly what I wanted to read—

✔️something light but also dark,
✔️with some atypical representation,
✔️a bit of action/mystery,
✔️and solid dialogue/prose.

<I>Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holy and Co/Macmillan Children’s Publishing, and Wendy Herd for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review</I>✨

Long-time readers of this blog will know that I absolutely adored Hannah Capin's Foul is Fair when I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Netgalley last year. I have a soft spot for sapphic contemporary retellings of classic literature and legitimately squealed with excitement when my wish was granted and I received a copy of this release as well. While I still prefer the lush lyrical prose of Capin's work, I was not disappointed by the absolute thrill ride that was this young adult thriller.

As someone who has only a passing knowledge of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the inspiration for this book, I likely got less out of the experience than an aficionado would. Similarly, somewhat jarring plot twists and third-act reveal likely felt more out of place to me than someone familiar with the original. This isn't a bad thing necessarily - I was still able to follow the plot and its direction, and it was fairly obvious who the Dorian stand-in was (Mick) which made following the somewhat jarring character changes much easier. I still am not entirely convinced by the second of our two protagonists (Veronica) and even less so by the antagonist (Nico), but Mick was compelling enough that I found myself rooting for her, even as I was somewhat baffled by the decisions she makes and the motivations for making them.

It should be perfectly clear, however, that this isn't a retelling of Dorian but a reimagining, and fans of the original expecting a shot-for-shot retelling will find themselves disappointed. Ultimately, I think this is for the best: while beloved by fans of classic literature, the substance of Dorian has found its way into pop culture less readily than Shakespeare's canon. In the end, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who loves thrillers, complex WLW romances, and the hot, sexy, slightly disgusting feeling of summer in California - or anyone just on the hunt for an utterly binge-able young adult adventure.

This is a story about a girl on the edge.. and also ecoterrorism. And 2 or 3 other things.

First I want to say that I really enjoyed reading this- I read it in one sitting & was never bored. The sapphic love story is beautiful, and although I’m not a romance person I enjoyed the first 40% of this book, which I would classify as a romance. Then it suddenly became about activism, ethics & art- which I also enjoyed! Then it became a solid thriller for the last 30%.. all of these aspects where well done, but it felt like there were at least 3 separate books happening here. I think if there writer wasn’t so blatantly talented it would’ve been a mess, but as it stands it was somehow still very good!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thanks Netgalley & Macmillan & Henry Holt & co for this e-ARC!

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co and Netgalley for providing me with an arc for review!

Within the blurb, this book is described as electric. It is a perfect word to describe the tension of this story. Sold as a sapphic The Picture of Dorian Gray I was definitely intrigued. I FLEW THROUGH THIS BOOK. The imagery in this felt like it would be perfect for the screen especially with all of the performance art.

I just had a really good time with this book and hope that you give it a shot (when it comes to release date, RIP)!

First off I would like to say an extra BIG THANK YOU to Wendy Heard and NetGalley for granted me this wish of reading She's Too Pretty to Burn. It was such an honor and a joy! And trust me I shouted with glee when I got it.

Synopsis:
The summer is winding down in San Diego. Veronica is bored, caustically charismatic, and uninspired in her photography. Nico is insatiable, subversive, and obsessed with chaotic performance art. They’re artists first, best friends second. But that was before Mick. Delicate, lonely, magnetic Mick: the perfect subject, and Veronica’s dream girl. The days are long and hot―full of adventure―and soon they are falling in love. Falling so hard, they never imagine what comes next. One fire. Two murders. Three drowning bodies. One suspect . . . one stalker. This is a summer they won’t survive.

Let me just start by saying WOW!
You start off with following Mick whose dream is to earn a scholarship from her swimming and move away as far as she can to be away from her aspiring model mom. Her mom is the perfect picture of everything you don't want to be as a mom for you child, so Mick is trying so hard to get away. Her best friend Liz invites her to a party so Mick can at least try to "act normal" it is there that she meets Veronica and her whole world changes. I don't want to give to much away for this book because it is definitely beyond worth reading.

This book is definitely worth 5 stars in my opinion because it gives you the drama, romance, suspense, problem solving, and of course murder! I loved how the author executed the aspect of their relationship in the sense that it wasn't perfect but it was something to work for and how it was a LGBTQIA romance as well. The ending also had me on the edge of my seat as well with the plotting, the execution with the murders and the character who was causing the distress! The ending also has me wanting more and honestly I hope that there will be a second book. When this book comes out on the publish day, I will totally go run and buy a copy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for a copy of this stunning book!*

“The earth itself is your judge and jury.”

Coined as “a sapphic, psychological thriller retelling of the “The Picture of Dorian Gray, She’s Too Pretty to Burn immediately and effectively caught my attention. Talk about seduction.

Nico and Veronica are “artists first, best friends second”. Nico is devoted to his art and Veronica is searching for her new muse. When she meets sweet and shy Mick, and it’s as if everything has clicked into place. The two girls crash together in a whirlwind romance, but nothing stays sunshine and roses for long. Soon obsession, loyalty, and desire come into play and then they have a murder on their hands.

“How is my own private human body a waste?” There are so many lines in this book that took my breath away. The relationships between these characters and the way they view themselves and the world felt authentic and raw. In She’s Too Pretty to Burn the characters are some of the best I’ve had the pleasure to read. Complicated, fierce, selfish, funny, confident. Real. They are characters that feel lovingly crafted, their hopes and dreams and flaws and fears, all cleverly thought out and presented in this fast-paced thriller.

I couldn’t put this book down, plowed through it in a day captivated by the story and characters. It’s rare a book leaves me in genuine suspense- the kind where you have to scream into your pillow and then get up and take a lap around your house. It’s the kind of book you can read again and again (and I plan to!) because it just works. Every element of this book in complimentary. The tone, the pace, and the setting all come together slightly to create a timeless read. The only issue I had with this book is that it ended.

I wanted to read this book the second I read about it, so when NetGalley gave me access to the ARC I was so excited.

It did not disappoint. So creepy, and so fascinating. I read it in less than a day. I haven’t read The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I do know the basic premise and I think this “reimagining” did a wonderful job.

Firstly, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and McMillan Children’s Publishing Group for approving me to read an advanced copy of She’s Too Pretty To Burn. I was immediately drawn to the beautiful cover, and I love the fire images and the colors splashed onto it. I enjoyed this book immensely. I actually read it in a day because I couldn’t put it down; I was drawn in from the first page and I had to know what happened.

I really liked the story and the destructive elements that were drawn from The Picture of Dorian Gray, which is one of my favorite books. I liked the characters and how human they are, especially Mick who has mild destructive tendencies even if she doesn’t realize it. She’s so shy, but a chance meeting with Veronica changes everything for her, and thrusts her into something she is clearly not comfortable with, and learns to speak up for herself.

I loved how the point of view changes between Mick and Veronica, so you get a clear picture of what’s happening, especially when the characters are confused and separated. And finally, I loved how it’s set in the San Diego art scene, how beautifully it’s written; you can picture yourself there while everything is happening. Wendy Heard paints a beautiful picture with her words, and it’s like you’re there as a bystander witnessing everything. Especially when things start to go wrong during some intense art installations.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. It’s beautiful, poignant, intense, destructive, and passionate. I really enjoyed watching Mick grow into a better version of herself after meeting Veronica, and learning what family truly means. I loved the themes of social media, and how one post can change everything and catapult you into a world you might not be ready for. And I loved the thriller aspect, that’s the part that kept me wanting to read more; needing to know what was going to happen next. Overall, I loved this book and I think everyone should read it.

I immediately read this book upon being approved for an ARC, as that cover and the title are too perfect not to dive in. She's Too Pretty to Burn is a gripping, moody story about a not-so-typical teen romance between Veronica and Mick. The writing is taut, not a word out of place, and the plotting is well done. To be entirely transparent, I'm not a connoisseur of LGBTQ+ material, as much of it feels gratuitous-- created for the sake of being edgy or 'with the times', or to make some political statement. Heard's story is none of these things. It feels authentic, never making a big deal of their sexual preferences. Sure, it's mentioned, but it's not <i>the story</i>, and these characters are more than to what gender they're romantically drawn. I also love that it's about how a 'good girl goes bad', but again, it's never heavy-handed or moralistic. Only after the fact do you realize, wait, this isn't what I expected of her/him, and that's the case with every character. In the words of Shakespeare, "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

“I think hating parties is a sign of a healthy aversion to people.”
I flew through this book! I found Veronica and Mick’s relationship to be very engrossing even though both of them were insanely annoying. Basically, Veronica is a photographer and Mick has a phobia of having her picture taken? Like it’s at the point where her mother asks her to do a modelling job in order to pay rent but she refuses. And it’s a shoot showing off a HOUSE. But Veronica decides that Mick is the perfect model and lowkey coerces her into it. So that aspect of their relationship is pretty toxic, but Mick also seems overly stubborn.
Though it is pretty exciting to find out who the killer is, it isn’t really that surprising. The clues are all there, it just depends when you catch on to it. Also, the motivation of the villain isn’t fleshed out that well, and they just start seeming like a psycho eventually.
Overall, way too much of the plot depended on miscommunication and lies between characters, which doesn’t leave a lot of surprise for the reader since we have the dual pov between Veronica and Mick. The reader knows everything and it gets boring watching the characters chase down dead ends. Though the characters are interesting, their actions are extremely jarring and make them borderline unlikable.

I found this story to be confusing based on the blurb. While I was expecting a dual POV I believed it would be Veronica/Nico, not Veronica/Micky. It was dark and twisted, but not heavy on the thriller aspect. The characters are unlikable in the way that teenagers are. The ending was wild and left me wanting more. This would be a book I wouldn’t necessarily recommend, but one id like to discuss with other readers.

5/5⭐️
oh.my.god.

Summer is coming to an end and Veronica is finding herself largely uninspired in her photography until she meets Mick at a party and inspiration strikes, she becomes immediately infatuated with her. Mick, who is very much uncomfortable with being photographed finds herself having to decide between her discomfort and Victoria's success as a photographer. Meanwhile Mick is dealing with a rocky home life and Victoria is growing more and more unfamiliar with her best friend of two years. Together they find themselves having to navigate through a series of tragedies that greatly impact both of their lives and despite having just met find that the only people they can truly depend on are each other.

This book seriously blew me away. The romance hooked me from the beginning, I was rooting for Veronica and Mick. The two of them are so well written and realistic it was unbelievable. They felt like true teenagers, trying their best but also letting their own needs get in the way of doing what's right most of the time. I found myself on the edge of my seat almost from the beginning ready to find out what was going to go down next. At no point, while reading did I feel bored or disinterested, the writing was engaging and the plot wasn't slow by any means. The author did such a good job with balancing the plot and romance, neither felt especially lacking and they both lent themselves well to the other.

I don't typically feel super connected to characters in books but Mick really stuck out to me as a memorable and relatable character, despite us leading largely different lives. Her hesitance to reach out and trust people to help her get where she needs to go in life along with her tendency to convince herself she has everything under control really resonated with me. I think in addition to that her reluctance to branch out at the start of the book and that creating distance with her best (and only) friend is a very relatable experience. I do wish there had been some more focus on Mick and Liz's relationship, I think that while friends do drift apart it would have been nice for them to have had some kind of talk at any point during the book, as it felt very unresolved.

Overall, this book was truly mind-boggling. If you're a fan of ya contemporary but are looking for just a little bit more action in your books I think this is definitely the book for you.