Pretty Things was one of those books where I thought the first 50% was much better than the last 50%, despite loving the epilogue.

This book felt so smart in the beginning, with Nina/Ashley and Lachlan planning what they wanted to do and where the money they were looking for could be in Vanessa’s house at Lake Tahoe and Stonehaven.

It started off really well, but I gave this book 3 stars because it suffered a lot in the last 50% which killed my enjoyment for a while. There were two main POVs: Vanessa’s and Nina’s. Initially, I liked both their POVs because it introduced us to their lives. Nina was a grifter, who learned to be one from both her mother (another grifter) and Lachlan (also another grifter).

After the first few chapters, I grew tired of reading about the same events. I’d be reading one long chapter about an event in Nina’s POV, then read the same event just with different details here and there in Vanessa’s POV. I know that the author wanted to show how both women had their own thoughts and didn’t view events in the same way as each other, but I wish most of the POVs were about different events instead to keep the plot moving forward.

Except for the epilogue, the last 50% was awful. The best way I can describe it was like watching a long-drawn-out catfight going down between Vanessa and Nina. It was probably the author’s intention to have Vanessa’s POV be like this, but Vanessa was overly obnoxious and superficial, not knowing what she wanted to do with her life. It didn’t help that her POV dominated the last 50% and that I hated how her chapters were stylized.

Vanessa’s thoughts often went like this:

I’m so glad Ashley’s here (Actually, I'm not!)

I hope he was imagining us together (because I definitely was!)

The style was cute and funny at first but became annoying after a few times. I couldn’t wait for everything to end already. It felt so slow and long for a book with a plot that you’d usually think would be fast-paced.

I loved the epilogue though! It was the shining point of the last 50% and extremely satisfying with what it does for the main relationships of the book, such as Vanessa and Nina. All the questions were answered by the end without any confusion, and you get a good idea of what’ll happen to the characters in the future.

Pretty Things told a tight, at first intriguing story about Vanessa, Nina, and Lachlan, but it couldn’t hold up, losing the qualities that initially made the story so intriguing. I’d still recommend it because author Janelle Brown did amazingly at describing the grifter lifestyle and Nina’s background. There were twists I didn’t predict, and the epilogue made up for a lot of what the book suffered from.

Note: I received an advanced readers' copy in exchange for my honest review of this book!

What a fabulous book! I do not want to give away too much, but this book has already lit up bookstagram for good reason! This is my first read by Janelle Brown, but certainly not my last!!!

You know, in a warped, conniving, murderous way I’d say this novel is a story about friendship. Nina and Lachlan are grifters who scope out mansions of the rich and steal “only what won’t be missed”. It’s a profession Nina comes by naturally seeing how she was raised by a mother who earned a living under “questionable “ means. Now her mother is battling cancer, and the bills are adding up Nina decides to embark upon the heist of a lifetime. But this time she will have to revisit her past. She knows where to find the money she needs... in a safe in Stonehaven, a place that possesses a plethora of childhood memories
Our other narrator is Vanessa, the new mistress of Stonehaven. Upon the death of her father, the social media sensation, Vanessa decides to return to the family estate, a place that holds emotional childhood memories as well.
Nina and Vanessa’s lives will indeed collide, resulting in the unearthing of decades-old secrets, betrayal and murder.
This was such a great weekend read. The writing and plot sucked me in immediately, and I admit to staying awake until the end. There were some lovely plot twists and turns that kept me interested until the final page.

I was lucky enough to get a free galley copy of Pretty Things from Random House. You'll be able to get your hands on a copy in April!

Another amazing read from Janelle Brown-- she continues to surprise her readers and I will continue to have her a go to recommendation!!!

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.

I enjoyed reading this book, Janelle Brown is a master storyteller. The plot was different than anything I have read before. The characters turned out to be the opposite of what I expected. It goes to show that you can never judge others until you truly know them. An exceptional book, I highly recommend 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.

I couldn't put this one down! I loved the switching perspectives between Nina and Vanessa, the two main characters.

Nina is working to con Vanessa (and get a little payback while she's at it, for some wrongs done by Vanessa's family), and as an Instagram influencer, Vanessa is trying to figure out what her place in the world is if she doesn't post about herself all the time.

Both women are cutthroat and willing to do anything for what they want. For Nina, it's to earn the money she needs to pay her sick mother's medical bills. For Vanessa, it's too be loved. Ideally by Nina's erstwhile boyfriend and co-conspirator Lachlan, but she'll also take all of the people online.

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.