Language: R (38+ swears, 20+ "f"); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13+
I was excited to read this book for the intriguing murders and how these women fit into everything that was going on, but every page I turned was more difficult to read than the last. The book is described as being "a powerful allegory for what it can mean to be a woman, and an untamed rallying cry for anyone ever told to sit down, shut up, and smile pretty," but the first few chapters that I read were disturbing and made me uncomfortable without any of the mystery and intrigue I wanted. So I stopped before it got worse. The mature content rating is for underage drinking; mentions of genitals, masturbations, and oral sex; innuendo; nudity; and sex. The violence rating is for mentions of murder and rape as well as imagined gore.

DNF... This was a bit too much for me. I found the dog death horror aspect too triggering. I've previously read and enjoyed this author's short stories. Unfortunately, the subject matter of this particular book was not a match for me. I'm sure this would work better for horror readers who can stomach animal death. However, if it is a deal breaker for you, consider skipping this one.

I read this about 6 months ago.
Other than the location of the final showdown, all I remember about this book is being underwhelmed. It wasn't bad enough to quit reading, but it wasn't good enough to stick with me.

My thanks to the publisher for the advanced review copy.

I DNFed this book after about 45%. I did not enjoy it and found it very confusing. I did not post a negative review anywhere.

This book is very disturbing, but also riveting. Ugh. Harming woman in many ways... physical and mentally and this book brought me to tears. Will absolutely buy for library.

As Horror readers, it can sometimes take a lot to shake us. But at the same time, we should never strive to become immune to the things in horror that upset or discomfort us. Because at its heart horror is an empathetic genre. You have to let yourself feel it, respond to it, and by extension it is my belief that horror makes us more empathetic, sympathetic human beings. If horror makes us flinch, that’s a good thing.

Such a Pretty Smile is a raw, bloody, open wound of a book, and DeMeester does not shrink from the violence against women - both physical and mental - that serves as her central theme. (Which is why I’ve tried to highlight some of the bigger content warnings down below.) But one thing I really loved about this book, is that the violence, though visceral and at times tough to read, is never gratuitous. For something to be gratuitous it has to be unwarranted and play no reasonable part in the telling of the story. But the story in question, that of a mother and daughter struggling against a vicious cycle of intergenerational and social traumas, is inherently violent. Violence has to be unnecessary to be gratuitous, and in Such a Pretty Smile every drop of blood spilled is vital.

It’s a story about what it means to be a woman, living in a world determined to make you small, and meek, and above all quiet. About the trauma that results from being forced to conform for safety, and how, in trying to protect her daughter, a mother can end up perpetuating the very societal rules and expectations that were used to suppress her own identity and joy. Caroline conformed for survival, and she has been trying ever since to keep her daughter sweet, good, compliant, and therefore safe. But the harder Caroline tries to protect her daughter, the more she kindles Lila’s anger, which draws the attention of the omnipresent third figure in Such a Pretty Smile: The Cur. As much metaphor as man or monster, The Cur leaves behind a trail of murdered and mutilated girls, punctuating both Caroline and Lila’s timelines with corpses.

There’s so much more I want to tell you, but the book just came out on the 18th and the very worst thing I could do would be to spoil it for anyone. You’ve really got to read and experience it for yourself, and I highly recommend that you do.

The story drew me in from the beginning. As the world around her focuses on area murders of teen girls Lila is navigating early teens years- family, popularity, attraction. Her mother watches on with worry as she recalls similar murders years ago. The story goes between time - Lila and her mom Caroline. The story unfolds and we learn about The Cur murdering young girls and the threat to all.

Such a Pretty Smile was such a creepy book. Caroline is plagued with seeing images that aren't there, she hears dogs barking and growling. As a young girl, she was abducted at an amusement park --possibly by a serial killer--but remembers nothing of what happened. Is she just crazy? She is now living in another city and a serial killer is abducting young girls again. She feels that all of this is connected to her experience. The book flashes back in multiple timelines with Caroline and her daughter. At the end, we finally find our what is happening to the girls but I still had some questions. I'm giving this book 3/5 stars because a lot of the book focuses on Caroline's mental state rather than plot. Seems like the main point of the book was that men are jerks and that they want women to remain weak--but in a horror kind of way.

I could not get into this book, and it was a DNF at 46%. The fact that the characters were teenage girls were bothersome for me.

How did I forget to write a review on this? Was I too wrapped up in it to remember… anything? That could be true, because after finishing it, all I wanted to do was keep reading it. This book isn’t for everybody, but it was definitely for me. Highly recommend this to anyone who has been silenced by the patriarchy and wants a book about fighting back, it was absolutely phenomenal.

This story was weird but in the best way. It keeps you on your toes and questioning everything.

You will hate most of the characters but stick with them, you may get a haha chance.

Well written and enjoyably confusing, this story will probably give you nightmares.

Fantastic book! It was really dark, and had a ton of different avenues that led to a satisfyingly supernatural ending. Lots of real, raw emotion and action!

Snarls and fangs and too many teeth - this weird in the best way horror story really bites. Young girls, staying silent, going crazy, doctors, pills, sculptures, shadows... the vivid imagery played with my imagination's feelings. I really need to see Caroline's creepy sculptures in person please and thank you.

This story starts in 2019 with Lila, Caroline's daughter and then shoots to the past in 2004 where we see Caroline's past ... how they come together and where the story ends was truly satisfying for me. I'm not sure what I expected from this story but what I thought was going to happen, didn't, and I'm so glad!

Wooooooow the "men" in this book suck. Constantly condescending and thinking the girls and women are just being hysterical. Hey, here's a pill for your problem because YOU'RE the problem. Now, now, listen to your husband, he knows what is best for you. Blah blah, inert eyeroll an try not to stab them. /rant

There's a lot to unpack in this story. Social commentary told in a horror story where girls are being silenced and the changing of the faces of the men around them still define the same type of misogynistic man we run into on the daily. It's a story of fighting back and finding a way to thrive when everything around you pushes you to be less than. Sometimes these kinds of stories don't work for me but I was involved with the violence part that it didn't dawn on me until the end and then it punched me in the face. Solid

▶️ I am so sorry to report that’s I did not enjoy this book. The blurb was interesting & I was excited to read it. But I never connected. I wasn’t invested or interested. I know this is supposed to be a feminist allegory but even that didn’t impact me.

▶️ I struggled to finish & the ending was disappointing.

▶️ I know others have enjoyed it. Perhaps I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I read it or maybe it just isn’t my cup of tea.

▶️ If the premise intrigues you please read it. Your opinion could be completely different.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an electronic copy of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Lila Sawyer is a 13 year old struggling with many things, as many teenagers do. Her single mother, Caroline, has become very protective as someone is taking and murdering girls from their area. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear this monster has hit before and Caroline knows all about it from her past. A pretty unique and disturbing story!

Such a Pretty Smile is a dark and twisted thriller that will keep readers on edge from start to finish. A compelling story line and intriguing characters combine to make a memorable reading experience.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

This book took me a long time to get through. I had to put it down and read others. I just couldn’t seem to get into it. After reading what it was about, I thought it would be a book that I absolutely loved. But I just didn’t love it. While there were times that I was hooked and couldn’t put it down, it didn’t keep my interest. The book was well written, and I did enjoy the characters.

What in the world?!

This was an eccentric mother and daughter’s edgy relationship. A split narration respectively for both characters- Caroline the mom and Lila, the daughter. The beginning was very catchy with the morbid murder of a 12 year old girl. A serial
Killer on the loose and that alone kept me on edge.

Psychologically disturbing I would say, a freaky thriller with a tinge of supernatural vibe. The hallucinations and fear of dogs was a little manic now that I am thinking about it and it really has the unsettling feeling all throughout the book. Such A Pretty Smile was branded as horror yet I can’t put my finger to any part of it that is horror. Yes, there were graphic narrative of how the girls were murdered and I agree that it was horrific but not enough to brand the book as such. Disturbing and weird perhaps!

Overall, it was a slow burn to my liking and I did not get the satisfaction of a resolution in the end. It was definitely dark and twisted and that is alright but not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Going between two timelines in 2004 and 2019, Such a Pretty Smile follows Caroline Sawyer and her daughter, Lila, who are both victims of a dark power that they are searching for and fighting against. It has an undertone of feminism, misogyny, and the patriarchy.

I rated this completely in the middle. From the reviews I’ve seen people either love it or hate it, and for me it was a combination of both. Based on the blurb, I wanted to love this book. I thought I would love it, but in the end I was kind of bored? The message and horror didn’t land for me.

I will admit I was slightly confused in the beginning but once you keep going this book is insane and completely messed up. Lol. Probably one of the weirdest thrillers I have listened too. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to listen.