Release Blitz + Review | Pretty Reckless (All Saints High #1) by L.J. Shen --> 5 Stars
TITLE: Pretty Reckless
SERIES: All Saints High #1 AUTHOR: L.J. Shen
GENRE: New Adult
RELEASE DATE: April 29th, 2019
We were supposed to be best friends
But turned out to be worst enemies…
Penn
They say revenge is a dish best served cold.
I’d had four years to stew on what Daria Followhill did to me, and now my heart is completely iced.
I took her first kiss.
She took the only thing I loved.
I was poor.
She was rich.
The good thing about circumstances? They can change. Fast.
Now, I’m her parents’ latest shiny project.
Her housemate. Her tormentor. The captain of the rival football team she hates so much.
Yeah, baby girl, say it—I’m your foster brother.
There’s a price to pay for ruining the only good thing in my life, and she’s about to shell out some serious tears.
Daria Followhill thinks she is THE queen. I’m about to prove to her that she’s nothing but a spoiled princess.
Daria
Everyone loves a good-old, unapologetic punk.
But being a bitch? Oh, you get slammed for every snarky comment, cynical eye roll, and foot you put in your adversaries’ way.
The thing about stiletto heels is that they make a hell of a dent when you walk all over the people who try to hurt you.
In Penn Scully’s case, I pierced his heart until he bled out, then left it in a trash can on a bright summer day.
Four years ago, he asked me to save all of my firsts for him.
Now he lives across the hall, and there’s nothing I want more than to be his last everything.
His parting words when he gave me his heart were that nothing in this world is free.
Now? Now he is making me pay.
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⭐️ 5 "Skull Eyes" Stars ⭐️
If you’ve read the Sinner of Saint Series, you’ve probably been waiting for the All Saints High Series with eagerness! Pretty Reckless absolutely lived up to the hype!! L.J. Shen created amazing multi-faceted protagonists with Daria and Penn, brought the angst and high school drama, but also offered emotional as well as amusing moments. Her beautiful prose and unique voice made this read unputdownable and captivating!
"You think you are so fake
But you're the realest thing I've ever seen
Painful to watch
Beautiful to see
Shattering to touch"
At first view, Daria Followhill is a true queen bee: popular, captain of the cheerleader team, conniving and a bitch! I love reading about these kind of characters, because of the growth possibility during the story. It’s exactly what this book is about. It would be so easy to hate Daria’s mean personality, but with each page I got to understand how she feels and the reasons behind her actions. She’s far from the perfect girl she appears to be. Under her armor, she’s insecure and jealous.
Penn can relate to her, because he’s the same. He’s considered a rebel and difficult teenage boy, but deep inside he’s such a great guy. His true self is so apparent when he first meets Daria when they’re fourteen. They’re complete opposites, but they share a moment of true connection.
"You were never a drizzle Penn Scully. When I fell for you, you came beating down, and I felt you everywhere. You were hail."
When he comes to live with Daria’s family four years later, it’s only animosity between them. Penn certainly has a cocky side I particularly enjoyed and antagonizes Daria like it’s not possible. He’s still hurt by her actions of years before and doesn’t miss a chance to provoke her. They’re sworn enemies, but the see behind the façade each other shows to their crowd. Living with the Followhills make Penn see how Daria truly feels about her home life and most particularly her difficult relationship with her mother. He sees her insecurities. The growing of their relationship is captivating and well-paced. You get the angst, passion, heartbreak and beauty of these two.
This novel isn’t all about this amazing couple. We also get to see our beloved Hotholes and their children. We get to learn more about Vaughn, Knight and Luna and it only make things more exciting for the next novels. Knight is a real buffoon, so similar to his father. Vaughn’s moody and intriguing nature is so magnetic. Luna with her goodness is intriguing too!
"You rise up to the circumstances when they are presented to you. We are so much stronger than we think we are. But sometimes, we go through decades without having a reason to be tested."
Overall, Pretty Reckless was everything I expected and more! It kept me hooked all read long and gave me all the feels. L.J. Shen started the All Saints High Series with a bang and I just want more of all the gang!
** ARC received in exchange for an honest review **
L.J. SHEN
L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.
Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.
She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.
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