Pretty Things: A Novel

I loved the detail and intricacies in the writing of this book! Nina has grifting in her blood. After obtaining a college degree and making an honest go of a career that's going nowhere, Nina gets a call that her mother is sick and needs her at home. When she gets home she meets Lachlan, her mother's fellow grifter friend who soon becomes her lover and partner in crime. Vanessa comes from old money and is an Instagram influencer. After questioning her life choices when her fiance calls off the wedding, she decides to move to the Lake Tahoe family mansion she's recently inherited. Nina and Vanessa's lives crossed paths in their youth and things didn't turn out well for Nina. Now years later and in need of money to help with her mother's medical costs, Nina and Lachlan devise the perfect, one last con, with Vanessa as their "mark". Told in alternating sections from the POV's of Nina and Vanessa with some of the scenes overlapping as they are told from each of their perspectives, this very well written story grabbed my attention and held it throughout. The characters are wholly realized and believable, and the situations are totally plausible and leave you with an intimate view of their worlds. Near the end your left questioning who's conning who and the conclusion is very satisfying and I'd dare say the perfect ending for this story. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this intriguing and compelling novel.

I really loved this <b>4.5 Star</b> thriller!! In the beginning I thought it would be a fun <i>caper</i> type of thriller, maybe along the lines of <i>Oceans 11</i> or the true story of those people who hung out with the Hollywood starlets and robbed them, but as the characters were further developed, is became more than that. <b>SUMMARY</b> Nina and Lachlan are literally partners in crime. They have a well organized system which includes choosing a very specific <i>mark</i>, using Nina as bait and Lachlan picks up the <i>inventory</i> at a later date. Things were going along fine until the police begin poking around, forcing Nina and Lachlan to lay low. They decide to leave LA for a couple months until the police lost interest and moved on to the next case. When they are deciding where to lay low, Nina remembers a huge antique filled mansion on Lake Tahoe she had visited as a child. Should that be their next target? What could possibly go wrong??? I'm trying to be vague because this book is much more fun to read if you don't know a lot about the plot. Unfortunately, my vagueness is not doing the story justice but, trust me, this is a FUN book to read!!! <b>WHAT I LOVED</b> The twists were what made the book!!! So many times I thought I had an idea where the plot was headed and it would change. I always liked the change more than the story like I was napping out in my head. I LOVED the characters!! As soon as I would think I've figured out a character, a new side to them is revealed. Literally down to the very end. Although several of the characters were professional criminals, they were still likeable, not just black and white. Even the ones I thought I was going to not like at all had some redeeming qualities. Toward the end, some of the characters began to evolve into better people, at least better than I thought they were going to be, and some of them turned out much worse than I imagined. I really loved the plot. It was never boring and not what I was expecting from the first chapter. There are several chapters which revisit Nina's past and explain her connection to the Tahoe mansion. Through these chapters we learn about Nina, who she is and her motivations. The story is told from two points of view, Nina and the owner of the Lake Tahoe mansion, Vanessa. It was such a great way to tell the story because their points of view were so very different. I loved hearing their takes of the same events and their opinions of each other. In addition to the plot, this book is a warning story about how impressions, even long held, firmly established impressions, of a person or situation can be wrong and harmful. It also talks about accepting blame for ones own mistakes and owning one's choices. I loved the Lake Tahoe setting. I've visited Lake Tahoe once and always thought it was one of the most beautiful places in the US. Now, I want to go back again!! <b>WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE</b> There wasn't a lot to not love. Although I really cannot think of any specific things I didn't like but I cannot give it my rare 5 Star rating. To be a five star for me, a book has to be very special. It must be unique, make me see some aspect of the world or myself differently, it must have no plot holes and it must stand the test of time- to be as relevant in ten years, fifty years or one hundred years as it is today. I really love this book, but in my opinion, it does not quite meet that criteria. <b>OVERALL</b> If you're looking for a book that will keep you entertained, make you feel like you've been on a trip to Lake Tahoe and distract you from the annoyances in your life, I highly recommend reading this book! It's way better than suspenseful thriller needs to be!

I enjoyed this book and after getting into it I had trouble putting it down. There were several twists that I wasn’t expecting. I thought the idea of the book was unique and it was interesting to have the main character committing crimes, rather than solving them like other books. The descriptions of the places and people were detailed and I found myself imagining the scenes. I’m definitely in the mood to go back to Lake Tahoe. I also appreciate the large incorporation of mental health and mental illness in this book. I think it was portrayed very well. The story also illustrates how people may view things differently and how there are multiple sides to a story. In the end, maybe people aren’t trying to be as bad as they’re made out to be from assumptions or misunderstandings, and we’re all just trying to find our way, to survive and be loved.

It was okay. The beginning starts out awesome and really grabs your attention for many chapters and pages. The book is written from the 2 main characters perspectives. What I didn’t care for is how some of the same scenes will be written out twice from the perspectives so you are then re reading something you already read. This makes the middle of the book very, very slow moving and at times kind of boring. The end does pick up and has a really good twist and because of that it makes the fairly dull whole middle of the book worth the read.

What would you do if your mom fell ill and you realized that there were few options available to cover her medical expenses? How far would you go to ensure she got the treatment she needed? Would you lie for her? Would you go so far as to steal for her? That is exactly what Nina Ross decides to do when she realizes her liberal arts degree will not be enough to provide a legitimate income to cover the cost of treatment. Now she finds herself face to face with her past as she takes on her most risky scam yet. Enter Vanessa Liebling, the heiress turned Instagram influencer, who is struggling to cope with her family’s difficult past. As these two protagonists collide and weave their stories among once another, they quickly realize that everything is not always as it seems. Brown immediately captures the reader’s attention within those first few pages and as soon as I finished the first chapter, I knew I was hooked. The story is told through both Nina’s and Vanessa’s point of views, often taking the reader through the same event twice so that you are seeing what each woman thought and felt during these exchanges. This kept me going back and forth with how I felt about each character and I often found my feelings about each of the protagonists changing and evolving throughout the novel. At times, I even felt conflicted, wanting desperately to dislike one of the characters, but realizing that there was more beneath the surface. This type of dynamic character development is an aspect of Brown’s writing style that I enjoyed with her previous novels, like Watch Me Disappear. The way she switches between each woman’s point of view kept me engaged and craving more from the storyline. With any type of thriller, I always find myself trying to predict what happens in the end. Funny enough, if I can correctly guess the ending, then I am usually disappointed because it was too predictable. There were none of those feelings with Pretty Things. Just when I thought I knew where the story was heading, there would be a twist that had me going back to reread a section because I was so shocked. Any time a novel makes me gasp or say, “Oh my god!” out loud, I know it is a fantastic read. I loved how many plot twists and surprises Brown managed to pack into this novel; I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. Overall, I would recommend Pretty Things to any of my fellow readers who love a good thriller and strong female characters. I was very excited to read this new novel and it certainly did not disappoint. I would rate this novel 4/5 stars and look forward to reading more novels by Brown in the future!

Every book I have read by this author is different. Very creative plots along with great writing! I waited to read this one because the plot line didn't interest me but because it was written by JB, I decided to read it anyway. I'm so glad I did! I plan to read every one of her books from now on.

Nina once bought into the idea that her fancy liberal arts degree would lead to a fulfilling career. When that dream crashed, she turned to stealing from rich kids in L.A. alongside her wily Irish boyfriend, Lachlan. Nina learned from the best: Her mother was the original con artist, hustling to give her daughter a decent childhood despite their wayward life. But when her mom gets sick, Nina puts everything on the line to help her, even if it means running her most audacious, dangerous scam yet. Vanessa is a privileged young heiress who wanted to make her mark in the world. Instead she becomes an Instagram influencer—traveling the globe, receiving free clothes and products, and posing for pictures in exotic locales. But behind the covetable façade is a life marked by tragedy. After a broken engagement, Vanessa retreats to her family’s sprawling mountain estate, Stonehaven: a mansion of dark secrets not just from Vanessa’s past, but from that of a lost and troubled girl named Nina. Nina’s, Vanessa’s, and Lachlan’s paths collide here, on the cold shores of Lake Tahoe, where their intertwined lives give way to a winter of aspiration and desire, duplicity and revenge. My Thoughts: Pretty Things is a story about dreams, identity, and the fears that drive our journey. How Vanessa and Nina originally connect is at the heart of the story. Nina was a young girl exploring love and searching for her place in the world and struggling to separate from her con artist mom. That girl is tossed aside by the Leibling family, which fuels her rage and her resentments. Vanessa, feeling unloved unless she is the star of her own dream world, creates fantasies and then believes they are her reality. But disappointments, loss, and rage lead her to seek revenge against Nina. Nina and Vanessa’s stories are told in alternate sections, and as we begin to really know them, we think we have a handle on what they will do next. But there are just enough twists that we are not sure if we are being conned, or if we might trust the picture they are painting for us. Throughout the journey, I felt empathy for each of them at different times, but never lost track of the damages at the heart of them. A core of vulnerability, mixed with the hardness created by time and numerous life injuries, made them intriguing…and potentially dangerous. Could either woman redeem herself? I kept reading, hoping to find out. 4.5 stars.

Well, this book ruined five days of my life. In a good way. The twists and turns of the story, the insights into the dark and light aspects of human nature. I could say more and will certainly have more thoughts about this as I digest it further … but to the aspiring reader I will say … this was incredible.

Chacun voit les choses de sa fenêtre mais chacun voit aussi les choses sous différents angles notre vie peut virer au cauchemar selon nôtre regard…et nos désirs pas toujours très clairs…

I really enjoyed this book. The ending was satisfying with plenty of twists. It did feel a little dragged out in parts but the story was helped by the two character perspective.

A Exciting read! Dragged on a bit toward the middle but really enjoyed the ending. Would make a great movie!

I picked this book on seeing that it was one of Amazon's top books of the year and it was a worthy choice. The story has good twists and surprises and kept me guessing. Scenic descriptions of Lake Tahoe, the claustrophobic ancestral home, the obsession with social media esp. Instagram, art and antiques, the vividly etched characters make for a great read.

"Nicole Kidman To Star In & Produce Series Adaptation Of Janelle Brown’s ‘Pretty Things’ For Amazon With Reed Morano Attached To Direct". This book is the perfect choice for a series. Developing the characters over many hours will help in their portrayal. The location, Lake Tahoe, is great. The ending will also be exciting. I enjoyed the surprises and twists, not really knowing how it would all turn out. I found myself switching sides frequently, not certain as to who to root for as they exposed their flaws. They dynamic between mother and child is an underlying theme which propels the women into their choices and finally, the action they ultimately take.