4.5 Stars! This book was amazing - perfectly plotted, very entertaining. I almost didn't want to finish because I didn't want the story to come to an end. A novel about "two brilliant, damaged women try[ing] to survive the greatest game of deceit and destruction they will ever play."

"Two wildly different women--one a grifter, the other an heiress--are brought together by the scam of a lifetime . . .on the cold shores of Lake Tahoe, where their intertwined lives give way to a winter of aspiration and desire, duplicity and revenge." Nina and Vanessa have a sort of shared history - Nina was friends (or more) with Vanessa's little brother Benny back in high school, until events ripped them apart. Nina has come to Lake Tahoe with her boyfriend/partner-in-crime Lachlan to con Vanessa out of her money. Double and triple crossing ensue!

The other aspects that I enjoyed about this novel is that it's also about identity - who you are, what makes you who you are, and do you have an identity if no one is watching?

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC.

There are some books that when you pick them up and begin reading you know you are going to instantly adore them. This novel was love at first read. Alternating chapters from two points of view form the basis of the storyline. However, because both characters see the events from one perspective, the reader is enlightened twice. That technique creates tension and intrigue. It also enlightens you with two first person narratives. Many of the musings about the effects of the ubiquitous social media are so on target, I found myself jotting down some of them to remember and quote later. The writing is seamless and the novel seduces you in with its mystery and cleverness. This is going to be a best seller for sure and it rightfully deserves the accolades it will garner.

I usually read so books very fast, but I read this slowly, relishing every sentence, every paragraph. Excellent writing, delicious story, incredible characters. I will so look forward to any other book this author will write.

This was a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. This was such a good read. I hope to beable to read more by this author.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

A captivating, fun suspenseful read. It's got so many plot twists which makes it so enjoyable and surprise! Nothing bad happens so it makes it a fun book for everyone!

A fun, suspenseful novel where nothing terrible, or horrible happens! There were a few twists.
My only real problem was the fact that the plot would thicken nicely, and then the author would switch to a different character POV, which drained all the tension and excitement that had built up. Overall, i did enjoy the book.

"Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC of this book."

Full of plot twists, it is difficult to decide which of the two main characters to sympathize. One born into privilege one raised on the wrong side of the tracks--but, both paths come with their own set of challenges. Knowing who to trust and trusting who you love can be difficult to navigate. "Pretty Things" keeps you guessing until the end. Throughout, you are left to grapple with who is in the right and who caused the most hurt.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a *light* thriller. It won't keep you up at night or have you double checking that your doors are locked, but it will keep you interested.

This book was received as an ARC from Random House Publishing Group - Random House in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

At first the description and cover in my opinion was extremely misleading but in the best way possible. Pretty Things tells the story of Nina a criminal destined to continue the feat her mother started years ago, Vanessa an heiress that is set to make her mark on this world and Lachlan Nina's boyfriend and partner and crime. They all meet in Lake Tahoe and realize that they have more in common than they think. They all must band together on the brink of survival and their fate rest in their hands alone. It was such a thrill to read and I could not believe all the plot twists and outcome of this book. I know our community will appreciate this book and we can't wait to share it with them.

We will consider adding this title to our Adult Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I absolutely loved this book! A fascinating psychological exploration of (mainly) two women that veers into thriller territory at times. It kept me spellbound and interested, and surprised me several times. My one critique- it could have been about 40 pages shorter, particularly at the end, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel. Well done!

This is going to be one of the biggest hits of the 2020 year in books. It is a fast paced buzz book that focuses on social influencers and all the drama and psychological twists that can come with it, which is THE thing right now. But I am so glad it was written, because it got me hook, line and sinker.

The book is done from different POV and timelines, which is becoming a "thing" recently that I am all for. Nina is a con artist and Vanessa is a rich influencer. How their paths cross and what comes from this collusion will leave you stuck to your seat to the very last page.

I immediately went to grab the other books she has written and I cannot wait for more to come. I don't want to delve to deeply into the plot, because the more blind you go in, the better it will be. What I can say is go, go now and get this book as soon as it comes out.

This isn't a high-minded literary novel, but it is a completely of-the-moment, juicy page turner with true emotional stakes, believable characters, twists that are legitimately surprising but actually make sense, and a satisfying ending. I loved it.

It's rare that tech is woven so naturally into a story - Pretty Things didn't feel forced or clunky and kept me up reading well past my bedtime. So glad to have found this and will be looking for more of Janelle Brown's writing.

I absolutely loved this book! Full of twists and turns, I never knew who was conning who or what to believe by the end! The writing invoked empathy even for characters I wasn't supposed to like, and I became so invested in their lives I was sad to reach the end.
We have a wealthy heiress, her brother in an institution, a mom and daughter who have learned the art of the con, and the daughter's partner in crime. All this adds up to many tricks, surprises, and things I never could have predicted which I love in a good mystery/fiction novel. I found it intriguing and almost refreshing in the world of mysteries these days and I would highly highly recommend it! Good read to start the new year, and thank you for the ARC!

I almost finished this on a long flight tonight.We landed with about 25 pages to go! I was actually mad we landed. I loved it. A fresh thriller with the classic, rich girl, poor girl theme. It is told from both perspectives. It has crime, fraud, revenge and everything you need to keep your interest. I received this with no promise of a favorable review. It bit really wild at the end but has a nice wrap up..I highly recommend it.

This book was all right...It started off slow and picked up as "Ashley" (Nina) and "Michael" (Lachlan) try to hoodwink the older sister of Nina's former flame to steal millions of dollars...but somewhere it felt like the story lost its way. I'd say about 75% was compelling but the beginning 10% and end were somewhat lackluster, as if the author needed to somehow wrap it up and just threw it together. Overall, it wasn't a bad read.

This is a great thriller. It has all the things that you would want in one. So many plot twist and shockers. So many hidden pasts stories. I wasn't sure how I felt about the dual narrative because it just around in the timeline so much but it really does work well once the story progresses and you learn what is really going on and what each of the character's motive are. With each person having their own secrets it is hard to distinguish who the bad guy is.

Highly recommend!

Review Coming Soon. Just finished and kept me interested. I will update shortly with critique of book overall a good read

Holy cow!! Wow, what a book! This is such a great book, that is truly original, realistic, and had so many important topics weaved throughout! One of my top reads this year, so many layers, like peeling an artichoke to get to the heart and enjoying it so much! I highly, highly recommend, especially if you love those books revolving around those on opposite ends of social spectrums with some past they hope to avenge! Don’t delay, preorder today!! This is one you WILL NOT WANT TO MISS! Mind blowing good, unputdownable, riveting, only behinds to describe it!
Will be sure to rave this book up everywhere I can!

This novel could not be more relevant for our time, as it explores the topics of financial strain, the 1%, social media, our deception and disconnection with each other. I especially enjoyed the Rashomon type switching of POVs, which lent insight into the characters' psyche and motivations and highlights the fact that we all experience the same situations entirely differently based off of our own psychology. The plot and pacing keep you racing through the novel, and upon the final twist and completion, you'll find yourself looking up the author's other works.

**Advanced Readers Copy provided in exchange for an honest review**

This psychological thriller is EASILY poised to be one of the best books of 2020! What lengths would you go to to save a life — and settle the score of past transgressions? Janelle Brown offers up a juicy, twisted tale about revenge and redemption, with flawed, complex characters who couldn’t be more opposite of each other: an elite Instagram influencer and a high-stakes scam artist. You definitely need to add this book to your must-read list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.