Top #4 in the entire store.#14 Most Sold Book on Amazon“Best Romance Novels of 2019” – Oprah MagazineGoodreads Best Romance of 2019 Nominee“A runaway train of revenge, rivalry and angst. This complex and venomous tale takes on a modern-day Cruel Intentions/Mean Girls vibe. Pretty Reckless is unputdownable and absolute Kindle Crack.” – Kindle Crack Book ReviewsFrom USA Today and Washington Post … Crack Book Reviews
From USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author L.J. Shen comes an intense, high school enemies-to-lovers romance with a twist.
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 was 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 my firsts for him.
Now he lives across the hall, and I want nothing 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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I was ready for this the moment that the author announced the spin-off series and couldn’t devour it fast enough! First, this was not the story I was expecting to get about these characters…but it was 10x better! Daria was much more lovable than I expected her to be. Penn was everything that the author described him to be in teasers. The Hotholes? They’re even better as grown-ups! And the supporting roles played by Knight and Vaughn were so so perfect. But back to the story itself…the angst that existed between Queen B Daria and bad boy Penn was so explosive. It was actually difficult to predict anything that was going to happen in the story, and that made all the twists and turns so much more gut-wrenching. I cried, I smiled, and I even fist pumped at one point! This was a true L.J. Shen gem if I’ve ever read one (and I’ve read them all).
L.J.Shen ‘s words cut through my heart like a whip, make me bleed and leave an imprint for a lifetime. She made me face and suffer some ugly realities in Pretty Reckless. I think Daria is my most favorite female character by her till date. This amazing strong broken girl has my heart in her tight grip. And each time she falls and rises, my heart squeezed painfully.
Pretty Reckless is all Daria. She carried the story on her fragile shoulder and I am proud of her. Bullies are not born but made. In case of Daria, the indifference did the trick. I know I am supposed to go dreamy eyed over Penn Scully, the arrogant asshole from the wrong side of track. But he had nothing in face of Daria. L.J.Shen created this ruined princess who wears crown of shame, guilt and vulnerability. I cried for her. For each of her painful experience. My heart was threatening to come out of the chest at the end but Daria didn’t disappoint me. She wears rudeness and sarcasm as an armour to hide her scars. And it makes her even more beautiful.
L.J.Shen is in her usual genius self with clever words and intricate phrases. She created enough dramatic turns with huge shock value to make my jaw drop. So why is not this book a 5 star read for me? The reason is the story left me in unsatisfied stage. I loved Daria and L.J.Shen’s writing. I loved Knight and Vaughn. But I didn’t exactly fall in love with Penn or the story line. May be it is due to my high expectations. I didn’t connect with the secondary characters. I missed that soul numbing explosive connection between Penn and Daria. I felt Daria had to deal with too much and Penn didn’t exactly act as a partner.
Having said that, I will still wait eagerly for the next instalment of All Saints High. Daria deserved all 5 stars and more. The problem was the inconsistency. Some parts of the story screamed brilliance every way and other parts were just ok. It may not be the best work of L.J.Shen but definitely a good story. A must read for lovers of New adult angsty romance!
Absolutely amazingly hot!!!! Like really really hot! Twist and turns keep you addicted and not able to put it down!!!! Most favorite read a long long time!
This was by far one of my best books of 2019. Daria was an amazing character and I suffered with her, laughed with her and fell in love with her. Leigh always built spectacular characters and i can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
I seriously don’t think there’s a hot headed punk that LJ Shen can’t redeem. While this might be a YA novel it does not seem like it’s for YA… it was written for me! We have the wickedly devious back to entertain us with the Sinners of Saint’s second generation. Gahhhh… I feel like everything I want to say is full of spoils and I don’t want to do that! Penn and Daria start the secondary dinners off with a bang!
Shen’s writing flows. She builds her characters and layers them, layer upon later. They’re dimensional and unique. I could not get enough of this story.
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Pretty Reckless wrecked me in all the best ways. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions almost from the first pages and you can’t help but hold your hands up and enjoy the ride.
L.J. Shen does the seemingly impossible by making the school Bitch so real and relatable that you root for her till the end. I didn’t think I would love Daria as much as I did even with all the really bad stuff she does. And Penn, sigh… He is so yummy and strong but loves so hard even if he thinks he can’t.
I loved this book and even days after reading it still feel a bit hungover from it. This is a must read for anyone who has read L.J. Shen’s Sinners of Saints series. This is the next generation and I can’t wait for more. This actually is a must read even if you haven’t read the earlier series, especially if you love your stories full of angst and feels.
Do not read this book at work, you’ll need to explain why you’re bawling like a baby. LJ Shen bravo, you brought me back to my high school years in Daria and reliving all the fears of my daughter’s HS years in Mel. I love that the friendship of the hot holes stood the test of time and how loyal the tot holes are to each other. I also went all cougar on Penn, I cannot wait for the next book in the series! Please take it easy on my emotions the next time around. K- thanks!
I finished reading the book on Thursday evening. As you can imagine, I’m crazy about it, and I’m still in shock. Brilliant, undeniable perfection. THAT’S ALL. I have no words. I don’t know what to say.
It was good to get into L.J. Shen’ world. As much as it takes away from us, it also gives back. It’s realistic, you don’t feel for a second that it is a fairy tale. It cannot happen. School life, hierarchy, love, social differences. You’ll meet all of them in Pretty Reckless.
The story can be read in present time, with a kind of log-like feeling. Well, get ready because you will experience thousands of feelings during reading. Despair, insecurity, envy, love, helplessness. These get under your skin.
Read more: https://www.gcksbookreviewblog.com/2019/04/arcreview-pretty-reckless-by-lj-shen.html
Absolute finest! A real page turner from start to finish that angst lover will surely enjoy as it was packed with it.
A great start for a series of standalone that is All Saints High. Can’t wait for the next book.
L.J. Shen is a masterful storyteller. In this new series of the second generation of her Sinners of Saints series, the kids of All Saints High Scool are anything but saintly. The apples don’t fall far from the trees. While this story is a standalone, I think I enjoyed this story so much more because I knew the background to these kids parents. But even if I didn’t know the former stories, the author sprinkles past information that keeps the reader well informed.
This isn’t a simple story, it’s filled with many conflicting layers in its complexity. It’s an enemies to lovers story and it’s intense on both ends. It’s also a Very Very Very Angsty Romance filled with disruptive family dynamics, growing pains, diverse socioeconomics, self deprecation, peer pressure and high school drama. The mother-daughter relationship angers as well as tugs on your heartstrings. It’s an intense and emotional and extremely raw read.
Daria Followhill and Penn Scully……the blurb tells you all you need to know and I won’t tell you more except that their story isn’t cut and dry. It’s filled with deep dark emotions and because you get sucked in, it is a fast read. There are twist and turns, angst and drama and of course, their hatred towards one another is anything but hate. I’m really not a fan of YA but this story didn’t really feel YA to me and I credit this author’s magnificent writing talent.
I loved this story, I loved all the dynamics of this story and I loved the epilogue. A must read for angsty lovers, enemies to lovers lovers, and readers who love masterful storytelling!! This author always hits her stories out of the park for me and this one was no different!!
#skulleyes #allsaintshigh #daria #penn #mustread
Next generation….wow this is one phenomenal way to start a new series! Daria and Penn definitely know how to keep you turning those pages……they are so misunderstood and yet so perfect for each other! Both are so opposite but so similar and their past is what fuels this push/pull they have for each other. At times it was hard to read because this book was more than just high school drama. Family is a strong theme here and it’s reckless before it gets pretty.
Pretty Reckless by LJ Shen was a gritty, angsty enemies to lovers romance that gripped my heart like a vice. An unforgettable kind of love story that left me holding my breath till the very last page. I said this before and I will say it again. . . This is without a doubt LJ Shen’s best work to date. I am just speechless right now. In the best possible way. Pretty Reckless was a beautiful beginning for a new series. Simply and utterly brilliant! I’m craving for more.
. . .
“He gave me the rarest thing in the world, and I gave him heartache.”
We have a new queen that has just been crowned.
Daria Followhill. Rich and the most popular girl at All Saints High.
All the boys want her, and all the girls want to be her. She makes her own rules, and if you don’t follow. . . well ta ta. But some want the crown for themselves and Daria will do anything to stay at the top of the foodchain. But what she leasts expects is her downfall by her own demise.
Four years ago Penn took a chance on a girl that was far to good for him. But he took what he wanted, and it blew up in his face. Forced to witness a betrayal he never saw coming. He wants his girl back, his little firecracker.
Can I just say . . . I loved Penn. He was such a complex, broody, and utterly dream worthy hero. The perfect match for our Daria. But absolutely nothing prepared me for her inner bitch. I wanted to slap her a few times, but I adored her all the same. She has a heart of gold and it shows. When she wants something she fights with all Daria has.
Penn & Daria’s chemistry was sizzling. Captivating and utterly riveting. Pretty Reckless was full of angst, drama, and heartbreaking. But most of all a redeeming love story that made me grin from ear to ear.
A must read y’all for my fellow angst lovers!
. . .
This book is all things amazing!! 5 mind blowing stars across the board, like all Ms. Shen’s works. The Hotholes live on & their Totholes don’t fall too far from those trees (thank you Lord)
No surprise here, L.J. is topping my 2019 #RSFAVE list again with her newest release, Pretty Reckless, in the highly-anticipated series, All Saints High. Since she first shared about her new series surrounding the kids from our favorite hotholes, Pretty Reckless quickly topped my most anticipated reading list for 2019. L.J. is definitely giving the hotholes a run for their money because I strongly believe their kids will be taking over Todos Santos by storm!
First up in this series is Daria and if you’ve read the Sinners of Saint series, she is the daughter of Jamie and Melody Followhill. With the little that we know and seen of Daria, she wasn’t exactly high on my list for favorite people. And I was a bit curious to see how L.J. was going to swing her story and having me like her by the end.
Well let me just say, throw out all of your assumptions about Daria, I fell in love with her character almost instantly and my heart was just constantly bleeding out for her. As I read through some of the reviews, I saw soooo many comments about a lot of the stupid things she does and all the angst. YES, this is a new adult book, but they’re both in HIGH SCHOOL, so keep that in mind as you’re reading. Also, this is L.J. Shen we’re talking about, if her know her writing well expect the same when it comes to the children of Todos Santos.
Anyways, Daria turned out to be a character that I wasn’t expecting at all. She was definitely complex, probably one of the more complex characters that L.J. has ever written. I understood where she was coming from and why she did what she did, but it was so damn destructive. (And yes, of course I didn’t agree with anything that she did!) More than anything, I loved that she grew into her character by the end and seeing all that growth completely solidified my love for her. Despite all her flaws, she is just so damn strong.
Penn Scully, another destructive character dealing with this strong attraction towards someone he absolutely shouldn’t and his loyalty to his twin sister (who seems to be less than deserving of any royal treatment). Penn’s story is very much falling for the guy from the other side of the tracks. His life has not been easy and he’s harboring a lot of something towards Daria because of her part in a very trivial thing that happened in his life.
These two are explosive together and yes … destructive. They go through so much together and separately. I can’t say that I was on-board with what these two, but it’s all very fitting of Shen’s writing style and it’s all just akin to these kids parents. SO, I can’t say that I’m surprised at all.
I LOVEEEEEDDDD seeing the strong and unbreakable bond that Daria has with her father. He was always there for her no matter what and constantly saw her worth. I felt so disconnected with Daria’s mom, Melody, and a lot has to do with their relationship throughout the entire book.
I know this is lengthy, so I’ll wrap things up. If I wasn’t already so familiar with the Sinners of Saint series, having all their kids mentioned in this book can be rather overwhelming. There’s a lot of different characters mentioned more than once and it can be tough to keep up with.
I know that Daria can be a tough character to like, but I’d say it was well worth sticking with her to the end. I have zero regrets! Todos Santos is definitely a place that will chew you up and spit you back out. Such a dynamic start to this series!
L.J. Shen
Man oh man this book was good. Actually—way, way, WAY better than good but I know any word I come up with will not do it justice. The hype is real…although, once again I don’t even think the hype does it justice. I’m sitting here trying to come up with a review that doesn’t spoil anything yet there’s so much I want to talk about! I’ll try not to reveal too much…
Daria: I fully admit I went into this book not liking her and essentially casting her off as the spoiled rich mean girl. While she definitely exhibits some of those stereotypes, we quickly learn that it’s all part of her lashing out because of her own insecurities that are absolutely heartbreaking. Seriously, I just wanted to hug her and tell her to FIGHT! LJ Shen oh so masterfully has written Daria as a character that you love to hate…but then you fall in love with her and you want to be her BFF!
Penn: He is the epitome of a delicious alpha-hole, but LJ adds so much more to his personality that it goes much deeper than that stereotype. He’s battling his own demons that make HIM lash out for all the wrong reasons. I’m not going to lie though…I loved Penn the entire time! LOL!
Daria + Penn: Holy effing angst and tension and explosive chemistry that kept me jonesing for more! From their first sad yet sweet encounter, to their reunion years later where they hurt each other with nonstop vitriolic barbs, it’s all so good. And when they each admit to themselves their true feelings and intentions, cue the swooning and waterworks.
All the other characters: Knight and Vaughn and Luna! Knight and Vaughn and Luna! Ahhhh! I. Can’t. Wait. For more from these three! And I thought it was just everything that we got to experience Jaime as a father. Talk about swooning and heart eyes. His and Melody’s chapters added so much more to the story and more to the characters within their family. It’s just fantastic icing on the cake that we got more glimpses of Vic, Dean and Trent too! It truly makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
The story: Pretty Reckless is an exceptionally written story. It has some suspense and twists and deep character development all coming together to evoke a wide range of emotions. And the poetry! THE POETRY! Heart heart heart.
I know I’ve rambled and talked in circles. I’ll end by saying that Pretty Reckless deserves so many more than 5 stars. Simply incredible!
Normally I stay clear of bully romances and mean girls because it’s a personal topic to me and anyone who has been bullied by said mean girls (and guys!). But I loved how there was more to this story than that and that Daria was just insecure and relatable deep beneath her evil facade. I also liked that it turned the typical bully romance around. Penn was a dream. Must read for those who like sexy YA or have read the Saint series.
Mind officially blown!
This book is intense from the moment you start it till the very last page.
Author L.J. Shen gives us another explosive story that will give you all the feels.
Electric, raw, real, beautiful, heart wrenching, angsty, and all around a perfect blend of new characters I have grown to love from this author.
Just go get this book and be ready for Penn Scully to turn your world into one reckless hot and satisfying mess!
Go One Click it!
5 Popped!
Pretty Reckless is a new spin off series by LJ Shen. You don’t need to have read the Sinners of Saints Series… yet… You really should. I mean those men in that series are ones who will stay with you forever!!!
This series is about the children of the Sinners of Saint characters. Pretty Reckless is Daria and Penn story. Daria being the daughter of Jamie and Melody. Daria is from wealth. Always having the best of the best.
Penn is definitely not from Todos Santos. The money isn’t there. The clothing isn’t there. The car isn’t there. Yet over a glass of lemonade these two meet.
I had a hard time connecting with Daria and Penn. The story is well written just not my favorite of this authors work. A lot of similarities with the Sinners of Saint series books with different names. Pretty predictable read. Yet with that being said, it kept me reading and devouring to find out if my predictions were right.
Looking forward to reading the next book as all of these kids have a story to tell!!!
Highly anticipated and so worth the wait!! L.J. Shen is the queen of angsty, unputdownable books!! Pretty Reckless is dark, twisted and super sexy. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Epic start to what’s sure to be an amazing series!!
Omfg!!! Ok first off I don’t know how this is my first book that I’ve read by LJ considering I have about 5 of her books on my kindle but it is. Of course after reading this book I’m going to have to make the time for a LJ marathon read because WOW!!!! This book was I don’t know if I will have the words to describe how this book made me feel. I know it totally shattered me and then put me back together again. And I felt so connected to Daria. It really brought attention to things that kids can go through that adults just can overlook and not pay any attention too. I know my parents did. And I hope I didn’t with my children. They say I didn’t anyway. And Penn, oh lord why couldn’t I have a Penn, without all the bullcrap heartbreak stuff. I mean I don’t think I’ve cried from a book so much in a long time. I’ve had some books make me very emotional and leak some tears the last couple weeks but I straight out cried from this book. How you gonna do me that way LJ??? I am now completely in a book hangover and that is not good at all. I know I have been rambling but let me tell you that you need to read this book I highly highly recommend it!!! – By Tina