Pretty Reckless, an all-new standalone high school, bully romance from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen, is available now!
OUR REVIEW:
Shel: My first foray into the novels of LJ Shen started with the #hotholes series (Sinners of Saint) and I thoroughly enjoyed each book in that series so it’s surprising to no one that I’d be all over the first #tothole book, Pretty Reckless. Equally not surprising—I enjoyed every angsty moment of it. Court: Girl...you are so right. We absolutely LOVE LJ Shen, and this delicious world she has created...but yo...I declared it via text the other night - I love Leigh Shen. Her books evoke a lot of emotions in us, and it is the best.
Shel: This novel had me all up in my feelings. From the first page I was wrapped up in the messed up love story of Daria + Penn—a story that felt momentarily hopeful and then completely doomed. Their enemies to barely tolerating each other to dysfunctional friendship to real feelings was so much angsty fun to read. I was totally caught up in my feelings --of understanding the betrayal and hurt they felt (especially Daria—god was she suffering)-- and LJ Shen had me wanting to comfort them, face palm them, or rage at them/for them. I loved Penn and his protective nature and how loyal he was—especially since that loyalty turned out to be not always returned. And, I felt very strongly about Via—LJ Shen knows how to write so extremely unlikeable characters. Court: I relate to Daria so much. So, so, so much. And I really loved how well written her character is. She seemingly has the perfect life, but inside...she is anything but. The book was quite an emotional journey for her, and I really loved Penn too. Their meeting was interesting, and how things came back around when they were older. Stories of kids who are ran through the ringer by a parent can be hard, but I really felt like this one was so very genuine and gave us all of the feels! Jamie is still hilarious and great. And...wow...Via, Via, Via. She is something else...she invoked a lot of feelings in me, for certain!
Shel: I also enjoyed the quick looks we had into the #hotholes as grown ups. Getting a look at them parenting their own teens was interesting and amusing, to say the least. Court: FOr sure, they're still trying to control the universe, but I love that their mini-me's are making them work for it...hard core.
Shel: Pretty Reckless was a fun-tastic start to what I’m hoping is a other series with these characters..a series bound to have me glued to my kindle with each new angsty twisty-turny intense love story. Court: I cannot wait! I am obsessed, and will definitely be looking for any and all information about when we will get our next taste of this world!
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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Excerpt:
“I don’t want you transferring into my school,” I hiss out. Melody would gladly file a transfer request, and Principal Prichard would salivate over the chance to snatch him up for our football team.
“That won’t be a problem. You guys suck so much ass, you have shit-breath.”
“Still smells better than poverty. You’re poor, right? Your sister was just bullshitting about being rich.”
When someone hits me with a stick, I run over them with a tank. I’m so mean to him I want to throw up. I hate this part of being me. The striking harder at all costs part.
“Just to make things clear.” I put the brush down, batting my lashes. “You’re not my step-sibling, foster brother, or a part of the family. You’re a stray dog. Last of the litter, most unlikely to be adopted, and a charity case.”
Penn takes a step toward me, and my heart is fighting its way out of my ribcage. The closer he gets, the more I realize that my heart might succeed. Penn’s eyes remind me of a snake’s. Mesmerizing, but inhuman altogether. They weren’t like that before.
His scent messes with my head. I want to reach out and caress his face. Kiss his wounds better. Beg for forgiveness. Curse him. Push him away. Cry on his shoulder for what we’ve done. For how it ended. For what we became afterwards, because I’m full of crap and he is totally empty.
We ruined ourselves the day of our first kiss.
Penn looks down at me. Time stops. It feels like the world is losing gravity, falling into a bottomless depth in space when he clasps my chin with his thumb and finger, lifting my head up. I can’t breathe. I’m not sure I want to, either. My towel drops to the floor with a thud, even though I secured it over my chest. I realize that he tugged at it intentionally. I’m naked. My body, my soul, my heart. All my walls are down. Somewhere in my head, a red alarm blasts and my inhibitions are getting armed, ready to fight back. I’m trying to decode his expression. He is amused, irritated, and…playful? The mixture of emotions doesn’t make any sense.
“Mess with me, Followhill, and I will ruin you.”
“Not if I ruin you first.”
About LJ 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 people's’ 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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