This book was so intense. It was a ya psychological thriller. A sapphic reimagining of the Picture of Dorian Gray. 

The romance between Mick(ayla) and Veronica was very whirlwind and love at first sight. As Mick gets tossed out of her house and tests the immediate chemistry they have by asking to stay with her. Mick is a competitive swimmer with a toxic model mother. Mick is terrified of having her picture taken. Veronica an aspiring photographer takes an amazing shot that goes viral.

This book had fascinating art installation pieces that I didn't realize are things but may just be environmental and political terrorism masking as art the way it escalated. I love art and the art community but there are lines and I'm sure they majority of us wouldn't cross them.

The name of the book takes on a different meaning the farther in you get. And I was so worried for Mick with her unforgiving selfish mother having to make adult choices so she wouldn't have to live on the streets. So many difficult choices stacking on top of them. At least there were a few good people that she could rely on if only they would believe her. 

I'm a little terrorized by all the villain was doing and uh I'm pretty sure the metaphor at the end of you get one and another will always take their place.

Thank you @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I received an ARC of She's Too Pretty to Burn thanks to the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review:
I have had this book sitting on my TBR shelf for what feels like forever and I constantly wanted to pick it up and read it, but other commitments (aka I requested too many books with releases dates earlier than this one) kept pushing it back. However, I have finally read the story and I am so happy I finally had the chance! It definitely lived up to the hype.

Veronica (passionate photographer) and Mick (shy girl caught in the whirlwind) become caught up in Nico's performance art, which is not what I would call "typical'. Nico wants to make a statement, an impact, and these installations definitely do. I loved all of the characters and their development. I felt for Mick whenever a camera was involved because I am the same way (I hate my picture being taken) and I loved the way she described the reason behind not wanting them (the 'from' not 'of scene).

The story was quick, engaging, and took some wild turns. I would describe She's Too Pretty to Burn as a LGBTQ+ version of The Initial Insult, with a more linear progression and more fire. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to see what Wendy Heard writes next!

I was drawn to this book by the cover and the title, and when I realized it was inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray I knew I needed to read it! She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard is a YA psychological thriller. I loved the twists and turns in this one and found myself with a dropped jaw quite a few times! It took me by surprise. The book is well-written and the characters come off as true teenagers which is always something I appreciate when reading YA. I flew through this book and was completely sucked into the story. I also really liked the way everything wrapped up in this one. I would highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that keep you turning the pages!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title. All opinions are voluntary, honest, and my own.

This book requires some suspension of belief, but once you’re safely in that YA thriller mindset, it’s a wild ride. The story is set in an image-obsessed San Diego where two young girls find themselves tangled up with disaster and tragedy while also exploring their attraction to each other. I loved the intensity of this story, which is a retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray. I think if I’d read the original text first, I might have a better grasp on the references, but I felt just fine without it. Highly recommend this book for thriller fans and anyone who’s looking to diversify their romance reading!

4.5 Stars

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it did not disappoint! At first I was suspicious of the immediate romance, but it fit in with the story and the passion in the relationship paralleled the danger in the novel perfectly. I am so pleasantly surprised as I have not been having great reading luck this year. Wendy Heard is a new fav and this book will likely be one of my 2021 favorites!

I LOVED She's Too Pretty to Burn. Hailed as a modern Picture of Dorian Grey, Wendy Heard manages to take the bones of that story but make it her own. She fills the book with twists and turns, creating just the perfect amount of tension and mystery that had me guessing until the very end. I hope to see more from Wendy Heard in the future and can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

4.5 rounded up to 5...

I may have requested this one based on the cover, the title, and having no idea what it was about, but it ended up being a great move on my part because I loved this one!

She’s Too Pretty Too Burn, has been said to have been inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, I don’t remember that one, so if you have read this, let me know your thoughts!

I loved the setting in this one, the last place I traveled to before the shutdown/Covid was San Diego, and I was totally transported back to sunny California.

I loved the LGBT romance, and the dark turns this story takes. It did a great job of keeping my attention, and I definitely didn’t want to put this one down.

I liked it so much, I’m interested in exploring @wendydheard backlist for sure. I been seeing some mixed reviews for this one, but if you like YA, I hope you give it a chance!

TWs: Animal Cruelty

Out today!

Thanks @henryholtbooks for my copy!

She’s Too Pretty To Burn by Wendy Heard is an electric, well-plotted, and action-packed entry into the YA thriller genre. The story revolves around Mick (Mikayla) and Veronica, two 16/17 year olds in San Diego, CA who meet at a party and begin dating. Mick is a student, swimmer, and has a troubled relationship with her single mom. Veronica is a student, aspiring artist, with a supportive family. Veronica is deeply immersed in the local art scene and introduces Mick to her friend, Nico, a political performance artist. Nico’s performance pieces become increasingly confrontational and propel both characters into making dangerous and poor decisions.

The fist part begins with their meeting and fledgling relationship. Then things become more precarious and unpredictable with each of Nico’s performance pieces. Heard captures that feeling about being a teenager really well. I loved that when Mick and Veronica meet, they understand they are kindred spirits and pursue an adventure. The story is told in both of their perspectives, which gives more color to how they perceive/act during each event. Though the characters sometimes made terrible decisions, they were strong and independent, and I always rooted for them. Some of the action is maybe not so realistic, but I could not stop listening to the audiobook! The audiobook is well-narrated by Frankie Corzo and Bailey Carr, who match their characters very well. I highly recommend this pulse-pounding thriller!

Thank you Henry Holt & Co., Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing this e-book and audiobook ARC.

Heard's young adult thriller follows the twists and turns at the intersection of three volatile young people--bored photographer Veronica; her best friend, mischievous performance art rebel Nico; and their new friend, Mick, who hasn't quite found her place in the world outside of being a competitive swimmer.

Mick, whose mother is emotionally unavailable (and barely physically present), has a lot to figure out and responsibilities weighing her down, meanwhile Veronica is pushing Mick past her comfort level into vulnerability. The girls fall hard for each other--but they've built their early relationship on lies that could destroy their possibility of true intimacy.

With Nico's troublemaking and incessant challenges to the status quo serving as a catalyst for fast-paced changes, everything begins to spiral out of control, threatening the girls' safety and the community around them. Veronica and Mick will have to figure out if they can trust each other with their lives.

I loved the girls' young love, but I was haunted by the fact that their relationship seemed doomed because of its basis in lies. Heard allows the teens to make realistically messy mistakes and experience devastating betrayals, but to also bravely try to trust each other again.

The stakes quickly ratchet up up up in She's Too Pretty to Burn so that the characters find themselves making life-and-death decisions, and their missteps aren't without serious consequences.

This was a lightning-fast read for me, and while the young people's circumstances build to be almost outlandishly complicated and disastrous, Heard presents what feels like a true yearning for connection between the two main protagonists, and that kept me hooked for anything else she threw at me.

I was haunted by how Mick's desperate situation and lack of options pushed her to say yes to uncomfortable compromises and take part in things she would likely otherwise have avoided.

I received a prepublication edition of this book (published March 30) courtesy of Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley.

She's Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard is a sapphic YA thriller centered around three teenagers in San Diego. Mick is a vulnerable girl dealing with struggles in her relationships with her friends and her single-parent mom when she meets Veronica at a party, who is magnetic and outgoing. Mick and Veronica develop an instant connection and soon start dating when Veronica introduces Mick to her long-time friend Nico. Like Mick, Nico has struggled with a troubled childhood and is now living on his own creating his own artwork. As the lives of these three teenagers intertwine, secrets are revealed with the teens realizing what they are each capable of.

When I saw this cover and then the synopsis I was instantly intrigued. I found each of the characters compelling from the beginning and the author does not hesitate to show you the morally gray aspects of each of the characters. However I did think Nico's character was a bit heavy-handed that it was difficult to understand towards the end. The tone of this book feels cute and hopeful with a good pace, but quickly ramps but the tension as the story brings the plot to a darker edge. I enjoyed the ending that it wasn't wrapped up neatly and kept the tension. Overall, I enjoyed this book and definitely recommend this book for individuals who enjoy YA, especially readers who are in late teens.

Many thanks to the publisher Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

4 STARS

Veronica wants to go to art school, and Mick wants to swim her way out of her mother’s clutches.

Neither girl really has the future they want, not yet. But when they meet at a party through mutual friends, a spark lights between them, quickly fanning into roaring flame. Between art installations, Instagram revelations, and a roaring hot California summer, nothing is going to be the same, especially not the futures they’ve been dreaming of.

But to reach those new futures, first, they’re going to have to survive.


“It never occurred to me that fear could be fun.”

She’s Too Pretty to Burn manages to show the best and worst of its cast all at once. I’m delighted with the way it pits characters against one another in such realistic ways, especially when it comes to the interpretation and justification of art. The main characters are constantly challenging one another with their own ideas of what justifies art, especially art that involves reluctant or outright unwilling participants. Larger conflicts aside, these interpersonal conflicts are what carry the book along, and lend it the air of a story about to catch fire. You know from the start that nothing about this is healthy, but it won’t stop now that the flames have caught.

Especially interesting is the way She’s Too Pretty to Burn approaches fear without necessarily being a horror novel. It’s a thriller instead, and toys with the ideas of fear as some kind of grand motivation, fear and shame as art, fear as the seeds of destruction. And most importantly, it looks at the ways fear plays into power and agency, or the lack thereof. Mick in particular skirts the edges of her fears, always testing their boundaries, or letting them get the better of her.

Overall, fear drives this book, makes it sharp and messy and surprisingly realistic in the most unsettling ways.


And can you believe we’re actually seeing realistic teens?

This is probably the thing that impressed me the most, in the end. Sure, the circumstances end up being extraordinary, even deadly, but the characters? They feel so intensely real.

Mick is working multiple jobs and swimming on a club team around all that, desperate to get a swimming scholarship to some school far away from her controlling, cold mother. Without a scholarship, her escape will be cut short.

Veronica is the artsy daughter of a community college art professor, and of a man who ran off to live in Florida with the second, secret family he cared about more. Now, her photography is her everything, and she’s struggling to find the inspiration that will take her portfolio to the next level.

Nico, though enigmatic, is Veronica’s best friend, and an artist in his own right. Passionate about both art and resisting environmental destruction brought on by California government officials, he’s dealt with the foster system, poverty, and homelessness while dedicating himself to his work.

In some ways, these characters are extraordinary. I certainly wouldn’t expect to meet anyone just like them, especially not all at the same time. And yet their individual circumstances are incredibly real, and their tendency to seek out trouble and thrills is equally plausible.

They’re all kids. Kids who want fame and glory and justice, and they’re kids who don’t understand just how far their actions can reach.


She’s Too Pretty to Burn is out now!

If you’re fascinated by the idea of a sapphic thriller inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray, and you want to see art and fear and power catch fire, this is a book you’ll want to pick up. It’s a great way to prepare yourself for the summer months ahead (they’ll be here in no time!), or just to dive into a good story during your downtime. I recommend it to anyone who likes complicated, messy characters, and to readers who don’t need a concrete resolution to be satisfied.

And, of course, to anyone who wants to see all the ways that art can begin to burn.


CW: gore, violence, underage drinking, animal death, smoking, child death, nudity, suicidal ideation


[This review will go live on Hail & Well Read at 2pm EST on 3/30/21.]

OMG IDK I HAVEN’T ENJOYED A THRILLER IN LIKE A YEAR SO LET’S TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE

Thoughts 💭

This book. Sucked. Me. In.

✅morally gray, unlikable characters
✅artsy
✅sapphic
✅ fast-paced
✅ no unreliable-narrator-because-of-mental-illness trope

I went into this without knowing much about the story (like I saw it was a queer ya thriller and I requested it and that was it) and I’m so glad I did! It’s my most surprising read so far of the year. I’m not good at writing reviews for thrillers because I never want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say that this was really fckn good and if you’ve read it pls dm me tysm.

Also this book is supposed to be a retelling but I don’t really read classics so I don’t know anything about the original story. Do with that information what you will.

(This is technically a YA Thriller, but I’d caution that this is definitely meant for an older teen at the youngest).

Read if you like: unlikable/morally gray characters, dark fast-paced thrillers, retelling, psychological thrillers

⚠️TWs: Death, kidnapping, murder, stalking, animal death, child death, violence, suicidal thoughts, grief, parental abandonment, fire

This one was a wild ride. These characters were battling a lot of inner demons, and it ended in quite a few deaths. It was a very quick read for me, as I didn’t want to put it down. I read it in two, two hour sittings. I easily figured out who the nutso character was, but that person still continued to shock me with the lengths they would go to in crazy town.

The end gave me the same impending doom vibes I got with He Started It, and I wasn’t mad about it. I do want answers to these cliffhangers though!

And I must talk about this cover! I love it! It’s the reason I requested it on NetGalley. Speaking of...Thank you so much to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved this book! Once I started reading I slipped effortlessly into its grasp where I was held tightly until it was over. It's an absolute page turner! I was on the edge of my seat for a very large portion of this book. Just when I thought it was okay to relax, things happen and I'm pushed right back to the edge. I never expected it to be so thrilling and exciting.

The writing in this book is absolutely fantastic. The story flowed wonderfully. It was an incredibly fast read and didn't feel like a 300+ page book. She's Too Pretty to Burn is told in multiple perspectives. Each character perspective is easy to differentiate from the others. This book is wonderfully told and expertly crafted.

I'd recommend this to anywho who enjoys thrilling, engaging and fun YA Thrillers.

I really tried to read this book because the blurb made it sound fascinating, but it just wasn’t for me. It is touted as a YA thriller, but there is no way that I would recommend this book for teens. It is absolutely too everything...too violent, too much sex and too much bad language. It is definitely a very dark story about teenaged girls who murder for pleasure. Fans of dark, dark suspense/thriller may enjoy it, but it was not my cup of tea.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

In large part, the concept was the vehicle that kept this book chugging along. The plot and characters felt occasionally thin, but the general intrigue and suspense keeps the reader chugging along. Great for high schoolers looking for something different.

Wow this book was a wild ride with YA romance and edgy thriller. Have you read The Picture of Dorian Grey in which the story revolves around a picture? Similarly in She’s too pretty to burn, the suspenseful story is centred around a photograph and chaos that follows between/with three young adults! There are some similarities to the classic, but nothing that would make one predict the storyline.

There are too many triggers buried for a YA novel including death, murder, manipulation and betrayal. So younger-YA people, please be aware.

The story itself was good and the writing was delightful that made me realise I don’t really have to love the characters to enjoy a sexy sinister storyline!! Seriously I foresaw a twist, but wasn’t expecting the shock. I have a feeling many readers would like this novel.

This is my voluntary honest review for the arc provided by Netgalley and Henry & Holt Co

I received an advanced copy of She’s Too Pretty to Burn through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Content Warning: She’s Too Pretty to Burn contains scenes and discussions of animal death, car accidents, unhealthy parent/child relationships, child death, emotional abuse, kidnapping, panic attacks, murder, death, and violence

Veronica is a photographer searching for inspiration as the summer comes to an end. She knows she’s got what it takes to make it as an artist, but she hasn’t quite found the correct subject matter yet. Her best friend, Nico, doesn’t seem to have any problems in the inspiration department, as his preferred medium is disruptive performance art. Though the two love different types of art, they couldn’t be closer in their love of creation. But, their relationship undergoes a massive shift when Veronica meets a new girl, Mick, and they have an instant connection. Mick, an alluring swimmer with a troubled home life, hates having her picture taken, and is everything Veronica has been looking for in a muse. Together, Veronica, Mick, and Nico stumble into a summer of dangerous art and chaotic love, and no one knows who will make it out alive.

You can get your copy of She’s Too Pretty to Burn on March 30th from Henry Holt and Co!

She’s Too Pretty to Burn is an artistic thriller, with a fast-paced, character-driven plotline! This book does have some pretty intense themes, and would probably best suit older young adult readers because of some of its content. I wish that there would have been more story time dedicated to developing Mick and Veronica’s relationship, but the distribution of content is understandable given that She’s Too Pretty to Burn is a thriller, not a contemporary romance novel. I didn’t know that I needed a sapphic retelling of The Picture of Dorian Gray, but She’s Too Pretty to Burn was a book I just couldn’t put down!

My Recommendation-
This book would be a good pick for folks who prefer edgier stories, especially those dealing with the boundaries of legality and art. I would recommend She’s Too Pretty to Burn to fans of E Lockhart, Karen Magnus, and Lauren Oliver!

Where Veronica, Nico, and Mick collide, chaos sparks.

Nico and Veronica have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Nico is an installation artist consumed by his plans to truly make a statement, while Veronica is a photographer looking for her inspiration. Then Veronica meets Mick at a party, and sparks fly immediately. But Mick is a girl who hates having her photograph taken.

As Veronica and Mick fall in love, they are pinned in on all sides by Nico's fevered determination, Veronica's desire for fame, and Mick's desperate hope to find somewhere she truly belongs. This is not a trio meant to live life peacefully...or possibly to live at all.

I love the book The Picture of Dorian Gray, which the author credits as an inspiration, and I thought centering around a photograph instead of a painting was a really clever and unique take.

This book is full on suspense, with heightened emotions and situations on almost every page. I truly did not know what to expect from one chapter to the next, let alone one word to the next.

The look into the different aspects and impacts of being an artist was fascinating, as Heard truly takes the readers on a ride into the extreme possibilities of what this world can hold.

I had a really hard time liking the main characters at many points in the book. They felt self-centered, or cold, or cruel. But to Heard's credit, I think this was truly the point, and the ones you need to be redeemed really are as you get to understand more of their motivations and internal struggles.

This book is like a wild fever dream, you truly never know where it is going to go next. I got completely lost in it and could not put it down.

This book had been one that I had been looking forward to SO MUCH! And then it turned out to be the most disappointing read I've had in a long time.

The pros: a wlw relationship! They kiss 10% of the way in! There's not much in the way of homophobia. Finally, no queer pain/trauma!

The cons: well. Just about everything else. I tend to love unlikeable characters. but there's not a single redeemable characteristic here. I do have sympathy for Mick, as she's had a very rough life. Veronica has a healthy relationship with her single mother, but that's literally the only stable relationship in the story.

And Nico. Good lord. He's like a low-level Batman villain. He's like a half-ass Tyler Durden. I know that this story is supposed to be inspired by the Picture of Dorian Grey, but if there had been maybe more similarities between Nico and Mick, I could've got that influence a little more. But overall...not great.

I give the book two stars: one for being at least well-written, and one for a queer relationship (a toxic one, but a happily ever after one, at least).