*Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, all thoughts are my own*

DNF @30%

I was really hoping this would suck me in but I struggled to want to pick this up every time. I didn’t really care about either of the sisters or what was happening to them at this finishing school. We’re given hints that something sinister is going on to make all the girls act differently but I get the feeling more like the MC is an unreliable narrator. Which can be done effectively but I’m just bored. Also gems are mentioned in like every other paragraph, the school is coated in gems, they all wears gems, the two sisters have a inside joke about gems. Im just not sure how it’s suppose to release to what’s going on in the story. I’ve read some reviews about the ending and this book just isn’t for me.

This is a generous three.

I love the message of the book but the delivery was lacking for me. The cover is gorgeous and I like the general idea of the story but it just was too much for me.

It’s like a jewel encrusted fever dream and I couldn’t really tell if it’s supposed to be magic or if everyone’s just really weird but that doesn’t make sense either. I don’t even entirely understand what was happening at the school or what the point of this really was.

An entire star came of for the constant use of gem and gem related words. It was so annoying and it was constant. I rallied up 555 gem related words but it would probably be higher if I counted as I went. It was too much. Also, what’s with putting the gems in their mouths so much? That was bizarre.

The main reasons I finished this were because it was an ARC (thank you to the publisher and NetGalley) and it was a fast and easy read. I’m glad it’s done.

One of the best aspects of FLAWLESS GIRLS by Anna-Marie McLemore is how Isla navigates being intersex . At first, I was surprised at how traditionally gendered this book was, especially for something written by McLemore. However, it's that very gendered world that makes the perfect setting to show how difficult it can be for anyone whose body could be deemed "different" than "norma" (whatever that is). The descriptions of the jewels in the walls of the school felt a bit overdone, but the detail of the students' attire and behaviors were very effective.

I was really looking forward to this book. Honestly the cover art is what captured my attention first. Then the premise of the story sounded promising. However the story fell a bit flat to me. I was looking for something more.

When I started this book, I knew it wasn’t going to be average lol, nothing. This author writes is simple or boring. Her books are always full of magic in the world we live in and colors and beauty that maybe we didn’t see. In this case, the Soler sisters are young women trying to find their place in the world, trying to find a way to exist in the world that lets them shine like the gems that they are. In order to do this, they go to a finishing school of sorts but while one sister seems to flourish there the other runs away and only returns when her sister goes missing. What does book really is however is it look at how we need to reevaluate what we define is beauty, feminism, and ultimately how we defined being a female. Society often wants women to behave in a certain way or to book a certain way to be considered beautiful, to be flawless girls. However, nothing in the world is without its flaws, there often will make us the most beautiful in this book in all of its beauty reminds us of that. Be sure to read the authors very powerful note at the end of the book.

“Girls knew how to wound quietly, without anyone noticing.”

“Flawless Girls,” by Anna-Marie McLemore

This book was very strange, not bad, just very strange. The entire book I was just thinking that these girls are high the entire time. It is a very poetic sort of book about looking beyond the top layers on yourself and society sort of book. It was marketed as a horror romance YA book, but I would not say it romance at all, at least not enough for it to be one of its genre’s. The horror aspect is more psychological than spooky horror. 3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the ARC.

Much like the girls Isla first encounters at the infamous Alarie House, I found this novel to be lush and stylish but lacking substance. The story follows the two Soler sisters, Isla and Renata, who are accepted into a prestigious finishing school. However, upon arrival, Isla discovers the older girls of the house are not what they seem, and she is terrified when her older sister appears to fall under their sway. Anna-Marie McLemore is a talented wordsmith: her prose is indulgent and evocative, lingering on the whisper of dewy fabric and the refraction of light from the glittering gems embedded in the stucco walls of the house. However, this beauty observes a confusing plot that lacks organization to such a degree that I found myself rereading the same pages multiple times just to understand what had happened. Poetic prose can be effective when wielded intentionally - however, McLemore's writing is so often so abstract as to confuse rather than clarify.

My favorite part of the novel was McLemore's depiction of Isla's intersex identity and how it impacts her navigation of her social world, particularly her socialization into womanhood. There is deep, secondhand pain in Isla's ruthless companions of herself to other girls and particularly her golden sister Renata, and I loved getting to see her relationship with Pax evolve as she begins to accept her body and herself. Unfortunately, this meaningful representation didn't do enough to counteract the heavy-handed gemstone metaphors and over-abstracted prose, culminating in a novel that was beautiful but unsatisfying.

This was difficult to continue. I gave up around a third of the way through. Too much going on and trying to follow along was difficult.

Vibes: The Virgin Suicides, Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Where the Wild Things Are

I devoured this book; I was unable to put it down. It's what I consider a sophisticated horror. Very ominous, twists, and unsettling moments. It's weird and the "theme" can be interpreted a few different ways. It's unnerving and psychological.

We have sisters Renata and Isla who come from "new" money. They are raised by their self-made grandmother who always encouraged them to be independent, expressive, and strong. However, now that the sisters are 17 and 20 the grandmother decides to send them to the most elite finishing school in the area. Not because she wants them to be ladylike and conform to society standards but because she wants people to respect them, and she knows graduating from said school is an ivy league badge that demands respect.

Right from the jump Isla is like fuck this shit, these bitches are Stefford wife crazy I'm outie. Reneta refuses to leave so she gets left behind. Isla is our FMC and after her big sister returns brainwashed, she decides to return to the school to get answers and find out how to help her sister.

These sisters are NOT Anna & Elsa and they don't have a heartwarming ending. Instead, Isla finds herself drawn in by the madness.

This was a satisfying and fast paced read for me. It was trippy, the ending doesn't wrap everything up with a bow, but I liked it. It explores sexuality, society standards, femininity, suppressing desires, embracing your dark side, self-love, and acceptance.

A captivating and thrilling young adult book, This novel, written by Anna Marie McLemore, centers on the sisters Soler, Isla and Renata, who are reared by their eccentric grandmother and sent into the aristocratic Alarie House, a finishing school that turns out the social elite. I was captivated by Anna Marie McLemore's indicative and tense story as she transported me to the luxurious yet eerie Alarie House. It opens up a terrifying and exciting investigation of deceit, control, and power. I was surprised by this book since I had no idea it was that exciting and suspenseful.

Thank you netgalley and MacMillan children's publishing group for the ebook ARC

Thank you Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Flawless Girls" by Anna-Marie McLemore presents an intriguing premise wrapped in an engaging story that immediately draws readers in. I would also like to point out just how beautiful the cover is; it’s definitely one that will prompt readers to pick up the book just because of how beautiful it is, and then the story will keep readers engaged throughout. The novel explores themes of identity, societal expectations, and the quest for perfection through the lens of intersex representation, a facet of the story that is handled with care and sensitivity. Intersex representation is not really seen that often in YA books, especially in a more historical kind of setting, so I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, even though it wasn’t mentioned in the book’s description. The representation took me by surprise a little as I had absolutely no prior knowledge of this representation being present in the book before I started reading, but I think McLemore did an excellent job in portraying this representation in an informative and positive way.

McLemore's writing style takes a little while to get used to, not only due to the richness of the prose, which was a bit overwhelming at first, but also because of the excessive metaphors and symbolic imagery. The narrative oscillates between realistic scenes and dreamlike sequences, leaving me puzzled about the author's intentions and the overarching message of the story. I sometimes had to stop and process the book at times because I was confused on what was actually happening, if everything was a dream, things like that. I found this to be a bit more manageable about halfway through the book, but this is definitely a book you can’t finish in one setting.

As stated earlier, I really loved the inclusion of intersex representation, a rarity in both historical fiction and fantasy genres. Also, the exploration of identity and acceptance was well-developed and engaging throughout the book. Those who appreciate diverse and inclusive storytelling will definitely enjoy this book, especially as it challenges gender and societal norms. McLemore's careful portrayal of intersex representation adds depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it a noteworthy addition to any reader’s TBR pile.

gorgeously tense horrormance which, however, does require a decent chunk of suspension of disbelief. tysm for the ARC!

I really liked the writing, and I thought that it was really entertaining to read, but if I tried to think about anything beyond the events of the book, including the time period in which the book took place, a lot of the book tended to fall apart. It’s also pretty hard to tell whether the events are meant to be metaphorical or real, as there are an excess of gem metaphors, but a lot of real gems in the book as well.
The intersex representation was really great though, it’s very rare to see that in historical fiction or fantasy.

Not sure how I feel about the book. I did enjoy the Hispanic representation. It was an okay read. I tried my best to not DNF & j did not, ending kinda redeemed itself.

I loved the Hispanic representation in this book as well as the concept of how women are supposed to act in civilized society and what sisterhood means. A thriller right to the very end.

Isla and Renata Soler need curing of their rebellious ways so their grandmother sends them to the prestigious Alarie House where the finest girls in society have been “finished” for years. Isla comes home after the first night. Renata stays.

After Renata completes the course she returns home, a shadow of her former self. Then she disappears. Isla returns to Alarie House to try to determine what happened to Renata.

“Whenever you shape something, whenever you polish something, you lose part of it.” This was a lovely, eerie little tale. Alarie House is deliciously dark and I loved the images of all the gems. I can see this being very popular. Recommended.

This one was...interesting to me. I almost had to DNF it, because it definitely frustrated me at times, I finished the book and essentially thought, what the heck did I just read. When I read the summary provided, I assumed it was going to be a thriller-type book, but what I got was not super realistic. I genuinely thought half of this book was a fever dream and we were going to get a cliche "and then she woke up" scene at the end. I see where the author was trying to go with this, but I do not think it was executed very well. Honestly, my favorite part may have been the book's cover, because WOW, that illustrator needs a raise.

This book had really great ideas and solid prose but the overall plot was a little confusing. I feel like it could've used another pass or two by an editor. I really liked the themes and ideas, though.

this cover is stunning! in regards to the actual story, the beginning seemed really promising and i was interested in learning about the school and renata's disappearance. unfortunately, the plot was lacking, and i found it hard to follow. i saw another review say the majority of this book was just metaphors, and i agree. this wasn't execute well :/

Thank you to netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for allowing me to read this book. The first thing that grabbed my attention was obviously the cover, so damn beautiful. However the story was meh it wasn't something that really held my attention or pulled me in.