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 so excited to read this book. Every new release from LJ Shen is highly anticipated because you know you’re going to find a quality read between the pages.
Pretty Reckless is no exception. The second generation of rich, entitled Hotholes (Totholes?) to walk the corridors of All Saints High are just as flawed and broken beneath their pretty veneers as their parents. Secrets are kept, images and reputations maintained when a peek below the surface would only reveal real, honest people struggling to get through the day like the rest of the population.
Daria Followhill is no exception. Initially held up as Queen Bee of the school, a lonely, abandoned child resides inside her. Penn Scully makes her feel. He sees her when no one else does.
Penn is from the wrong side of the tracks, thrust into the elite lifestyle of the Followhills when his own life falls apart. Daria is his nemesis, his downfall and his salvation.
This tale of clashing lifestyles and growing up will rip you apart and stomp on your still beating heart. It holds the full gamut of emotions and my heart is still aching after finishing it. It is achingly perfect in its execution and I cannot wait for the rest of the second generations’ stories
Oh. My. Marx! I could NOT consume this book fast enough! In my opinion, this is Leigh’s best work to date. It might be my new favorite from her.
I read, and was instantly hooked, with the characters and their stories from Leigh’s SINNERS OF SAINT (aka “Hotholes”) series, which PRETTY RECKLESS is a spinoff/next generation type series (“Totholes”) from that one, so I knew I had to give this next series a chance, but I will admit, I had my doubts that she would be able to top those stories, but man alive…Leigh truly brought her game with this one.
This standalone, high school bully romance is packed pull of revenge, teen rivalry, betrayal, high school drama and enough angst to keep you glued to the page wondering where the story will go. This is YA enemies-to-lovers at it’s finest. I am a sucker for high school romances that are done right, and like I said, Leigh nailed it. This story was a classic, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” type, the same goes for people. Just because they appear to have it ALL, doesn’t necessarily mean they do.
“…if there’s one thing I learned this year, it’s that 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 ago through decades without having a reason to be tested. The thing about life is, it always hits us. No one leads a charmed life. Event the blonde, gorgeous, picture-perfect, popular rich girl harbors secrets. Even the football captain. Even the rich mother of two who married her hot millionaire ex-student. The ballet prodigy. Everyone’s got a story, and we all have chapters we’d rather not read aloud.” -Penn, PRETTY RECKLESS
I do have to say, I really connected with Daria’s character. Her insecurities and flaws were so relatable! I can guarantee that there will be several readers that think, “That’s how I felt in High School.” or “That’s how I felt with my family.” or even, “That’s how I feel now!”. She is a misjudged character that grew exponentially by the end of the story. She had many life lessons along the way and learned from them. Her innocence and youth played a huge part in her insecurities, but they were true to teenage thinking.
This is only the beginning of the “totholes”. We will be getting Vaughn (ANGRY GOD) and Knight’s (BROKEN KNIGHT) books as well. And I can NOT wait! Leigh definitely built up my intrigue with those two in this book. They are sure going to be fun to read! *smirk* No release dates as of yet, but you know I’ll be watching out for them.
(Now, I know a lot of people are saying that this can be read as a standalone, which is very much can, but of course I am going to recommend you read Leigh’s SINNERS OF SAINTS series as well because you will be beyond giddy when you read cameo’s of some of the characters from that series in this book. That’s of course just my two cents on the matter, you can do whatever you want, but just trust me*wink*)
4 stars
“I wish I could rewrite you out of my life. But all your pages are highlighted, Dog-eared and thumbed to death. I can no longer read you. But you are still my favorite poem.”
I really can’t express how excited I was for this book. The first book in the spin-off series to my all-time favorite series ever. So naturally the expectation was high and even though I got everything I never expected and more, there is still some little voice nagging my mind that this wasn’t as perfect as I’d would have liked it to be. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this book with my eyes glued to every word, reading it in one sitting.
“Behind every untrusting girl is a boy who made her that way.”
Penn, our hero from the wrong side of the tracks, the captain of the opposing football team. The boy who lost everything, nothing to loose but everything to win. This very Penn is downright edible. Nothing I expected him to be and becoming so much more.
“I want to be your everything. Other than one thing: Your past.”
Daria, our queen that fell from grace. The girl who thinks she isn’t worthy of love and therefore burns everything that comes after her. She’s so beautifully broken. My heart ached for her, bled for her and got put back together by the boy who wanted to take it all.
“Loving you is like listening to a song for the first time. And somehow knowing all the lyrics.”
Pretty Reckless is a sky rocket aimed straight at your heart and it doesn’t miss a beat. This explosively, heavily loaded story is a firework start to the All Saints High Series that sets a pace the sequels yet have to meet.
“Game over. You win. You conquered me even though it was me who marched into your territory unannounced.”
This is book one in the All Saints High series, a spin-off of the Sinners of Saint Series.
I was looking forward to read this installment and discover how the children of the hotholes turned out. Even though this is a new series, it would help reading the Sinners series to gain perspective about the characters who are now the parents of these new characters.
The story started out strong, and then it shifted making it feel for me like it was too over the top and there was a lot going on.
Characters from the previous series made cameo appearances and it added zero umph to the story.
Maybe it’s my old age but I had trouble connecting with the main characters and their story. I was prepared to read about teens but these teenagers acted like spoiled, entitled mean spirited brats. Frankly, I felt like the “hotholes” gave birth to “aholes!”
I am strangely interested in reading more about these characters. I want to see if they redeem themselves or learn the consequences of their behavior.
This is without a doubt the best story of 2019 !!!
I’m hyperventilating. I’m laughing and crying. I just finished reading my most anticipated reading of all time. And the wait was totally worth it. Mrs. Shen slays again. She caught me with her flawless prose that left me with an EPIC BOOK HANGOVER. Two days in Zombieland because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN for a single second and immediately after finishing it, I wanted to read it again and again and again.
OMG !! I loved the story so much. It is intense, emotional and the anguish could be felt in spades, that sensation that shakes your body, that clouds your sight and suffocates you until you feel breathless.
The plot brings us to Daria and Penn. Daria finds her match in Penn, who is her opposite in everything and her rival. An act irrevocably changes the future of both, and after 4 years without seeing each other, fate brings them back together and leads them to live together, however Penn only wants revenge and ruin Daria. But as time goes by, he sees beyond the queen bee, miss popular and cheerleader she uses as a way to hide insecurities, fear, vulnerability and pain, Penn sistematically undermines the facade that Daria built and turns her world upside down.
How I loved Daria!!! She is without a doubt my favorite heroine of L.J. till the date. She behind all layers of designer clothes and makeup is a brave, loyal girl who fiercely defends her friends, who loves passionately and immensely.
Both characters are so complex, so unique, so real that I want to be friends with them, live in their world and laugh with them. THIS COUPLE IS EVERYTHING, I loved the way they love each other so intensely and despite their differences fit so perfectly. I really enjoyed their chemistry and banter. NO ONE WRITES BANTER AS L.J. SHEN.
But it’s not just Penn and Daria, it’s a story about friendship and family, about how family and friends always support and stand up for each other no matter what mistakes they make, it’s about loyalty, love and forgiveness.
THIS STORY OBSESSED ME, CONSUMED AND POSSESSED, A MASTERPIECE THAT I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH OF, it’s delicious, epic, addictive and mind-blowing. With her characteristic style of writing, the author proves again and again that she is the best at what she does and that her talent has no limits. This story is a rollercoaster of emotions that I want to experience again and again and again. I’m completely ruined again and I’m not sure I can recover this time.
Highly recommended!!!
3 .5 stars. I had a hard time rating this. Penn and Daria are filled with so much vitriol for such a young age it was kind of off putting. Daria, especially, seemed to be just a big bratty mean girl. Jamie and Melody were my favorite HotHoles and I just didn’t like that their daughter was so awful. Penn, a least IMO, did have a reason to dislike her. He also was angry at himself for is part in the whole letter situation. All the characters were so mean and angry beyond their years and experiences. However, there was a pretty good love story buried in there and I did like that.
Final Score – 4.5 Stars!
Pretty Reckless was pretty difficult to get into when I first started reading, if I’m being honest. I just couldn’t identify with spoiled Daria, misunderstood Via, and lovelorn Penn. Then something amazing happened and it just … CLICKED. Daria became my warrior queen who was wronged – by EVERYONE. Those who she should have counted on the most either betrayed her cruely or just ignored her existence. However, I still wasn’t one board with Via or Penn. Later on, another change to my perception happened of two these characters and BOOM – now I’m down with Penn, but only slightly with Via as well.
My point being is that L.J. Shen can craft a story that slows burns at the start, drawing you in an inch at time until you don’t realize that you are ALL in and that these character’s are now apart of you – to the point that you can now live, breathe, hurt, and fight along with them. Their pain is YOUR pain. Their experiences are your own. Every minute, every second. That is artistry at its core and L.J. Shen has got it in spades! Every word is an illustration.
I thought I was obsessed with her All Saints High series of Hotholes … but I think it’s this spin-off might be the one that makes the obsession a phobia. This story is well though-out, organized, and a home run.
Pretty Reckless is an enemies-to-lovers, high school standalone sports romance. It has everything you are looking angst, bad boy, new adult! Don’t miss it!!
You think you know her, but you don’t. Not really. Daria Followhill may be rich, may be popular and may be captain of the cheer team, but she is so much more than that. Underneath her perfectly glossed and well heeled exterior is a girl who just wants to be seen. I mean really seen. Penn Scully is a kid from the wrong side of town. He is battling demons of his own. When their worlds collide, there is no stopping the impending tsunami or the wreckage that will be left in their wake. Pretty Reckless is the first in the AHS series. This series follows the Tot-Holes…the children of the HotHoles from the Sinners of Saint series – Jaime, Dean, Vicious and Trent. Daria is the daughter of Jaime & Melody Followhill. In this series debut we find ourselves back in Todos Santos. Told in dual POV, Pretty Reckless takes us on an emotionally charged angst filled ride. Leigh Shen is a truly gifted wordsmith and I devoured every noun, verb and adjective in this read. I can not wait for the next installment in the series.
Ohhhhhh my…. ohhhhh my…. this book has flown to the top of my favorite read of 2019. I loved this story so much. There was so much drama, angst, chemistry I thought I would combust.
This is one roller coaster ride of emotions that I didn’t want to get off of.
Epic read, amazing characters and definitely a relatable story.
Oh wow another masterpiece from LJ Shen. Pretty Reckless was so not what I was expecting, it was so much more. This YA novel grabs you from the start and holds you captive until the very end. The twists and turns, the ups and down, the high school drama, the angst, the anguish all serve to keep you glued to the pages of this story.
It will definitely evoke from you a range of emotions from shock, awe, understanding, sadness, it will even make you smile and swoon.
These characters were complex and well-developed, yet so real you easily became engrossed in their story and understood the reasons behind their actions.
This novel was well-written and layered. The emotions were so descriptive you felt everything the characters were feeling. What I loved most about this novel was that it was more than just Penn and Daria’s relationship. It was about their relationship with friends and family and in a roundabout way this story is about love, loyalty and forgiveness, and how friends and family support each other no matter your mistakes.
Pretty Reckless was a top read from 2019. It was an engrossing page-turner I could not put down. Worthy of more than 5 stars I loved it and would highly recommend it.
OMG!!
What a fantastic read. I love Messed up YA books and this is just that. I have to admit I was a little confused in the first couple of chapters, I don’t know why but I was. But then BAM! WHAM! I was so engrossed that I couldn’t pry my fingers off of my kindle.
Daria and Penn…. sigh…. I absolutely loved them. Both broken, both such wonderful characters that you will fall deeply in love with them. This book is filled with so many great characters, of course some we know…and new ones that we can’t wait to read more about. You’re definitely going to want to check this out. Must read!
OMG!!
What a fantastic read. I love Messed up YA books and this is just that. I have to admit I was a little confused in the first couple of chapters, I don’t know why but I was. But then BAM! WHAM! I was so engrossed that I couldn’t pry my fingers off of my kindle.
Daria and Penn…. sigh…. I absolutely loved them. Both broken, both such wonderful characters that you will fall deeply in love with them. This book is filled with so many great characters, of course some we know…and new ones that we can’t wait to read more about. You’re definitely going to want to check this out. Must read!
*Review by Michelle
All of the stars y’all!! This book…phew this book was everything….Penn and Daria were everything! These are two of my favorite characters from Leigh to date, they were both complex, witty, and much more than meets the eye. Despite their many differences they were such a perfect fit for each and exactly what the other needed.
Darias story was nothing like I was expecting but I absolutely loved her character and all of her flaws and development. Penn was a strong, cocky, caring alpha and everything I hoped he’d be. This book had some of the best quotes and one liners from him. His nickname for her…swoon…this boy kills me.
It was fun getting to meet Knight and Vaughn, absolutely loved their friendship with Daria, they are so loyal and supportive of her. They stepped up and stepped in several times when it mattered and I’m looking extremely forward to their upcoming books in the series soon.
One of my top reads for 2019! Dean makes you swoon, Trent makes you coo, Jamie makes you smile, Vicious guts you…but we weren’t ready for Daria. This is my favorite LJ Shen novel to date. Not just for the amazing character development, plot lines that keep you on the edge of your seat, and witty banter. This book is amazing because it’s not what it seems. And I’m not going to ruin what it is for you. You’ll have to find out on your own. But you won’t regret it! Trust me.
LJ Shen is amazing. If I could give this book 10 stars I would have. Pretty Reckless had all of the emotions sometimes many on one page.
This book was Daria’s book and if you’ve read the other LJ books you know she is the daughter of Jamie and Melody.
Penn came out of nowhere and there is so much I’d like to say but won’t. What I will say is that he is so much more than I thought he would be.
If you’ve read LJ before then you know she takes her readers on one heck of a ride! This book was no exception it was a ride the entire way through. Once you got off the ride you wanted to go right back on and go again.
“And while I’m his hobby, he is turning out to be my….everything. My solace. My good part. My favorite thing about life.”
The Hotholes series is one of my favorite, like EVER. The fine line between alpha and a-hole is what this Author uses as a jump rope and she gleefully has me falling in love with them each and every time. Now the next generation? Holy Moses….might be just as angsty, alpha, fierce, and mind blowing as the first, or dare I say? Even more so? The fact that our first glimpse of the next generation was Jamie and Mel’s daughter put a massive genius spin on the previous generation’s all male cast, and her intensity was no less than the boy Hothole offspring. I loved this book so hard, I can’t even tell you. It was deep, and it was vivid, and it pulled every feel from me from anger to heartbreak to laughs to tears, both happy and sad. The heat was intense, burned me through and through and nothing could put it out. It had me biting my nails, throwing my kindle, and cursing these characters to the moon and back. The next generation is a force to reckoned with and I love them all…I felt this one deep in my bones and I can’t wait for more!! This zooms up my list of Top Reads of the Year, no doubt. I thank the Author for providing a copy to review.
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
I know LJ has a history of making us fall for the bad boy, but I didn’t think I could fall for the mean girl. So many victims, heartbreak, and vindictive twisty moments in this story. Daria and Penn were doomed for each other from their first kiss. But their actions that day set the tone for years to come.
Pretty Reckless made me fall back in love with new adult romance. Emotions run high at that time in your life, and there’s so much change and growth. This was an emotional story, the kind you stay up all night reading. I loved it and can’t wait to read more in this world!
LJ Shen is a fairly new author. After reading The Kiss Thief, I wanted to read more of her books. The cover and synopsis for Pretty Reckless got my attention. I am very picky when it comes to YA books but after getting to know the author’s writing style, I wanted to give it a chance. Also, to be aware, I did not know this is basically a spinoff of the Saints of Sinners series. All Saints High is about the children of the characters from SOS and I myself have not read that series so I would suggest maybe reading that series first before this one. I was left a little confused as to who some of the characters were as they were written as if you already know who they are.
If you’re looking for teenage, high school drama, with the mean, privileged queen B in a twisted story of hate and revenge, not only do you get all of this in this story, but you get to see the two main characters grow and learn of forgiveness, friendship and what family stands for.
Daria and Penn are two unique people, each with their own story that in a way, justifies theirs actions. I will say Daria is not a favorite of mine. While I can understand where she is coming from with her struggles and loneliness, she tells is as it is and is just petty and obnoxious. There were times I wanted to smack her lol. Penn- oh my gosh- that boy. So full of a hate and knew what exactly he wanted to do with Daria.
This story was full of twists, intense while giving us some hope that these two will somehow make it through their pain and anger. In the end, I was very pleased with how this story ended.
Shen is a talented writer and she did amazing introducing these characters and really giving each character a background that we could follow and understand. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would like this story but I couldn’t put it down. I am so ready for the next one.
Mind blowing. Not what I expected. SO. MUCH. ANGST. Now I can die happy.
***SPOILER FREE***
**Messy**
*Better not read it*
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
***
The hangover is real.
I knew I would love this book. Turns out I underestimated how much I would fall head over heels in love with the characters and their story. Ms Shen is a queen of teasing us without giving anything away while managing to mess with our heads. You have no idea what is waiting for you.
This is not a typical high school romance. Yeah, there might’ve been some scenes that made me roll my eyes, but guys, Daria and Penn’s hate/love relationship was so unique, and perfectly flawed, and kept its dynamic to the very end. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I cursed.
Daria’s a relatable character. Especially in the moments when we get to see her vicious self. I couldn’t imagine a better fit to our girl than Penn who’s an A-hole. The thing about them you can’t help but love them. This applies to the other totholes as well. They’re all complex and I’m beyond excited for all the drama they will cause in the future.
Leigh’s writing is truly impeccable. Poetic. Deep. Heart-felt. She knows when to slow things down and she puts twists when you least expect it making the story so much more intense.
The best read of 2019.
FINAL RATING: 5 *apple* stars