Pretty Girls

i wish i could unlearn things i learned about in this book.

i don't want to say this was predictable because i truly didn't see the twists coming, but it's kind of obvious from the start that everything is connected. this was a little upsetting, but i still bulldozed through this book because i wanted to know all of the details.

this book is really messed up and comes with a whole list of trigger warnings. if i find a good list, i'll update y'all

The books has some graphic uncomfortable scenes but really fast pace and thrilling.

4 stars for the convenience of MFC who can do everything without training but just “really smart”. Her character was annoying.

Trigger warnings: Graphic sexual violence, kidnapping, domestic violence.

So, this book would have received a 4 - star rating from me had it not been for 2 things I took issue in this book. 1. It was overlong, for the story that was being told a 1/3 or more of this book could have been cut. 2. The reiterated and repeated descriptions of graphic sexual violence. I'm surprised that a female author would engage in this amount of vile graphic violence against women without purpose of advancing the narrative.
Aside from those two issues I enjoyed this book and looking to check out more from this author.

Audio notes: Great engaging performance from the narrator 10/10.

LIKELY SPOILERS. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK (the book too, honestly)

I’m giving it 5⭐️because I can’t think of the last time I was provoked into this much angst and shock. I’m not giving it 5⭐️ because of the acts portrayed in this novel. Seriously READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS because I didn’t. I didn’t even read the book description prior to jumping straight in. That was a mistake.

I’m not even sure how to, or where to, or what to start with.

I wish I could go back to the person I was before I read this.

Karin Slaughter has such a generous writing style when it comes to all of the little, usually not relevant, surprisingly interesting details she puts in her novels. It really scratches something in my ADHD riddled brain. I’ve read several of her books and that’s the thing I keep thinking about. The details REALLY make the book (likely why I have such a fixation for Child’s JR series). However, I think i could have lived without some of the ones in this book. (Also, do we think KS is on a list of some sort? Because, there was obvious research done here. And while we are on the topic, is KS okay???? Her therapist has got to have a therapist of their own.)

This book was deeply disturbing. Wait, no, that’s not a meaningful enough word for it. (I’m actually having to rewrite this review as I switched apps to check synonyms that would be more impactful. Btw, any admin/it peeps: I’m going to send that in as a fix). Pretty Girls provoked such a visceral reaction at times, I thought I was going to be sick all over myself. This book got set down a lot for me to be able to attempt to process the vile deeds committed here. It speaks to your humanity on such a primal level. What is it that humans are capable of? A predator hunts for sustenance, a prey animal runs to save its life. Humans (and the lions of Tsavo, and apparently orcas) do it for sport.

And I think the scariest thing of all is that this could be you. Did you marry a man that rapes, slices, and electrocutes women? Did you fall in love with a man who humiliates, degrades, and beats all of these countless young women? Have you built a life for the past two decades with the man who tortures and kills these poor souls? Are you somehow complicit with the acts of this man who sadistically watches the end of all of these young lives? The lives of those who in their last moments are in an abyss of hopelessness and despair, terrified of what happens next, and praying to whichever god will listen to make this one the last? Will you become one of these poor souls?

Or will he tarnish you? At the end of things will you have blood on your hands that you can’t wash away?

This book has just about every trigger you can think of (like a lot of Karin Slaughter's work), but it is a great read if you can handle it. The story has strong female characters and lots of twists and turns.

I would say that the writing and construction of the plot deserves higher. But really- I cannot get over the way I felt the violence against women in this novel was beyond gratitious. I am in no way one to shy away from horrible realities, but the way it is written in this novel feels.... icky. I just couldn't get behind that.

Had to push myself to finish it. Started out pretty good, then turned very bland and annoying after 200 pages. So much dull moments, pages of characters speculating who might be involved, what would happen if they did this or that and a lot of boring backtracking into the past – especially in high tension moments that should've/could've been thrilling. All the dark violence and bleakness which would have made a compelling thriller plot got buried under mediocre writing and kinda stupid characters. Meh.

My God ....

Let me start out by stating the reason why this book is 5 stars. It is because I will NEVER forget this book as long as I live. The attention to detail is insane. The shock factor is out of this world. You think it's done and then there's more.

Over two decades after her sister's disappearance, Claire is living her best life when her husband is murdered out of the blue. Immediately after the funeral, things start to seem fishy. She was married to him for 18 years. You think you know someone ... and then you don't.

I don't know that I am able to recommend this book, because I can't describe the content as “good”. It is very heavy on SA. If that triggers you at all, this book is not for you. However ... I need someone to read this book so I can talk about it. It reminds me of a Sharp Objects plot line with some Tender is the Flesh depictions thrown in there.

While I can't say happy reading ... this book had me all in my feels. Literally, every feeling you could feel at once. Crazy. Insane. Read it.

Oof. Tough read as a parent.

I enjoyed the plot overall. However, this one dragged for me. I finished it because I wanted to know how everything would turn out, and I'm glad I did. Otherwise, this was just kind of...meh

4.5/5

Goodness gracious me, this is one heck of a disturbing read!

The pace is a bit slow, but I think that's just the way the author intended it to be – she draws you in even with the smallest details. These small details become something so elaborate, so terrifying, you could almost feel you heart coming up your throat.

Allow me to repeat myself, this book is some kind of disturbing. I'm gonna be thinking about this book for quite some time, I must say.

Trigger warnings galore. This book is so twisted but I still couldn't put it down. If you want something to keep you on the edge of your seat this is it. But be prepared going into it, this book should come with some serious trigger warnings.

3.75

this was definitely better than good daughter. i still think her books are way too long but at least here i liked the characters and family dynamics and cared for what was going on so i didn't mind. it was very predictible but again i didnt really care coz i was interested in the story. i dont really know how to rate this so 3 stars it is for now

My first Karin Slaughter (recommended by a friend), engrossing, shocking, horrific at times. An investigation into the survival of a family after the disappearance of a daughter. Some quite unbelievable and exciting escapades and some scenes that I'd rather not have read. Not for the faint hearted!

If this was my first introduction to thrillers, I'm sure it would have been mind blowing but I just found this to be so... unthrilling.

Synopsis:

Claire's sister went missing 20 years ago and her family never received any answers. Now, another girl disappeared and Claire notices similarities to her sisters case. The more she digs into the case, the more she realizes the situation is far more sinister than she could have ever imagined.

Review:

Was the writing phenomenal? Absolutely. Karin Slaughter is one of the best in the game and has been for years. I won't let this deter me from reading more of her work. I just found the characters in this book and their development to be one dimensional. The “twists” were barely even twists and I thought the ending felt like a cop out. I think because this book was so highly praised, I went in with too high of expectations. I wish there was more to say but I honestly feel like this:

i've never felt this sick from a book before

This book.

Great thriller. Probably worth the hype. Definitely
check trigger warnings. To say some of the topics/
imagery are dark and disturbing is being mild.

I thought it was decently paced. The characters
were flawed in a way that was engaging not
off-putting.

There were some twist that I figured out early and
others that were like... Oh hey there... But not in a..
That's totally unbelievable and doesn't fit red herrin
way.

Would recommend if you can stomach the graphic nature.

THE END OF THIS BOOK>>> It was so disturbing but so good! I loved the writting style by the second half it was so so good i couldnt put it down when i got there
edit: 4.5/5

DNF at 44%
I think I just wasn't in the mood for it.

This is a good read but you need a strong stomach. This is by far the most messed up book I've read in a long time.

Excellent book! I literally couldn't put it down and finished it in 1 day.

Holy this was a thrilling read! I really liked it, 5/5 for me. Kept me wondering what was going to happen next!

5✨ MY FAVORITE THRILLER OF ALL TIME. i read 5 thrillers in 5 days. find my full thoughts in this reading vlog >> https://youtu.be/KPBa2jmQKTs

One of my favs!!!