What do you think?
Rate this book
Vicious Little Darlings
Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting-and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship. And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly. Fans of Pretty Little Liars will devour this juicy debut novel.
314 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2011
18 people are currently reading
2489 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Easer
2 books62 followersKatherine Easer was born in Kansas City, Kansas, and now lives in Los Angeles. VICIOUS LITTLE DARLINGS, her debut YA novel, will be published by Bloomsbury in June 2011.
Author photo by Kenneth Dolin
Author photo by Kenneth Dolin
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
February 11, 2020
"She apologized for everything and then proceeded to explain why things had turned out the way they had. Her story made complete sense. It was what I needed to hear. Finally I had an answer. Finally I could let go. And then she vanished
When I woke up, in a pool of sweat, I couldn't remember a thing Maddy had said.”
― Katherine Easer, Vicious Little Darling
Vicious Little Darlings:
I did not HATE this book..or even dislike it. I read it in one evening (tonight). And I was engaged in it.
But I had so many issues. Even while reading it, I kept thinking "nothing makes sense".
This is a Gothic, Super Natural, Campus, Young Adult, Mystery Novel. Whew! Lots of genres. And while I like all those genres I just wasn't crazy about this book for the following reasons:
It is about a girl, Sarah who befriends two other girls at school. They move in together and become a sort of clique only there are creepy things about her new friends and Sara begins to be come frighteningly uneasy.
That's the abbreviated version. The thing is at first it was good. It even reminded me a bit of Lois Duncan..who I grew up on and LOVE..And whose book "Daughters of Eve" is on my favorite list.
But to much happens that is to "out there". I like a bit of mystery and even Super Natural(in small doses) is fine. I recently read a book that was a super natural mystery called "Wicked Deep" which also landed on my favorites list. That one was hauntingly beautiful and was as much about the sea as about anything else.
With this book, the three central characters are in almost every scene. The atmosphere is appropriately Gothic..but also creepy and STIFLING..and making things tough is also the fact that everyone in this book is Batshit crazy.
I mean it. EVERYONE. I could not understand anyone's actions. Even the main character, Sara , makes decisions that just had my head spinning. There wasn't any real motivations or reality to much of this book and the plot development is very low to none. Things just HAPPEN.
I was waiting for a twist..but the twist was pretty much what I expected and the ending was abrupt. I do not get what I was supposed to get out of it.
I think the writing was good. I got pulled in right away. And it was a creepy read. But I could not shake the fact that I most likely would have enjoyed this more had I read it twenty years ago. I just wanted MORE..More plot development, more logic, more understanding of the characters themselves. And I do not feel I got that.
I was going to give it a three but there is a death of an animal that was not necessary and with all my books I take off a star for that.
I do think some people will like this or even love it. It IS NOT BORING ! I finished it in a few hours. The writer can write and write well. But the story itself was perplexing and way to out there for me.
Recommended for fans of YA Super Natural stories about Batshit crazy people.
When I woke up, in a pool of sweat, I couldn't remember a thing Maddy had said.”
― Katherine Easer, Vicious Little Darling
Vicious Little Darlings:
I did not HATE this book..or even dislike it. I read it in one evening (tonight). And I was engaged in it.
But I had so many issues. Even while reading it, I kept thinking "nothing makes sense".
This is a Gothic, Super Natural, Campus, Young Adult, Mystery Novel. Whew! Lots of genres. And while I like all those genres I just wasn't crazy about this book for the following reasons:
It is about a girl, Sarah who befriends two other girls at school. They move in together and become a sort of clique only there are creepy things about her new friends and Sara begins to be come frighteningly uneasy.
That's the abbreviated version. The thing is at first it was good. It even reminded me a bit of Lois Duncan..who I grew up on and LOVE..And whose book "Daughters of Eve" is on my favorite list.
But to much happens that is to "out there". I like a bit of mystery and even Super Natural(in small doses) is fine. I recently read a book that was a super natural mystery called "Wicked Deep" which also landed on my favorites list. That one was hauntingly beautiful and was as much about the sea as about anything else.
With this book, the three central characters are in almost every scene. The atmosphere is appropriately Gothic..but also creepy and STIFLING..and making things tough is also the fact that everyone in this book is Batshit crazy.
I mean it. EVERYONE. I could not understand anyone's actions. Even the main character, Sara , makes decisions that just had my head spinning. There wasn't any real motivations or reality to much of this book and the plot development is very low to none. Things just HAPPEN.
I was waiting for a twist..but the twist was pretty much what I expected and the ending was abrupt. I do not get what I was supposed to get out of it.
I think the writing was good. I got pulled in right away. And it was a creepy read. But I could not shake the fact that I most likely would have enjoyed this more had I read it twenty years ago. I just wanted MORE..More plot development, more logic, more understanding of the characters themselves. And I do not feel I got that.
I was going to give it a three but there is a death of an animal that was not necessary and with all my books I take off a star for that.
I do think some people will like this or even love it. It IS NOT BORING ! I finished it in a few hours. The writer can write and write well. But the story itself was perplexing and way to out there for me.
Recommended for fans of YA Super Natural stories about Batshit crazy people.
November 26, 2011
*4.5 Stars*
I love off the wall things; things that are weird and strange and random and goofy and campy and ridiculous. Things that aren’t always so logical or predictable or sensible. Off the wall things add color and flavor to the world; and often times, these things crack me up. And I like to laugh—a lot! Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer encompasses this “off the wall” attitude that more fiction needs to embrace—and then some.
Sarah Weaver, a senior in high school, lives with her single, conservative grandmother in Beverly Hills, after both her parents—more or less—abandoned her. One day, said grandmother catches Sarah in the throes of passion with Brad Taylor, the most popular guy in school. Needless to say, grandmother was not pleased with what she saw. So, after graduation, grandmother gave Sarah two options: Attend Wetherly (an all-girls college located in Massachusetts that was grandma’s alma mater) or go to a college of her own choice; only, with the second option, grandmother wouldn’t pay for tuition. Left with very little choice and a lot of reluctance, Sarah chooses Wetherly.
Once at Wetherly, she meets her new soon-to-be roommates: Madison Snow (the innocent, pretty friend, who everyone adores) and Agnes Pierce (the more masculine, “less attractive” friend, who seems to be in love with Madison herself). The friendship amongst these three girls sets into motion one of the most bizarre, fun, entertaining, laugh-out-loud, clap-my-hands in glee stories I have ever read—and I love it!
Easer embraces what fiction is supposed to be. I’m not going to attempt to summarize the plot because in her story, she includes a River Phoenix poster, a hurt fawn, an ominous gypsy, hair clots, a ketchup bottle, a naked party, an eighties party, obsession, manipulation, sabotage, secrets, lies—basically everything but the kitchen sink. And all this adds up to one great page-turner.
The character themselves are all so colorful and prominent. I liked how Easer made each of them strange and full of contradictions, which not only coincided with the one of the themes of this book (ambiguity of human nature), but it also amplified the entertainment value. I liked how Sarah, the protagonist, rambled on and on, revealing not only her random thoughts to us, but also her contradictions. For example, when she first met Sebastian (Madison’s boyfriend), she thought his lack of intellect made him unattractive, but still, she couldn’t deny that she was sexually drawn to him. I like that honesty in Sarah because not only did she show her flaws—even as a protagonist—but it also played into the endless mind games that the characters perpetuated. Super thumbs up for the cohesion of elements.
The one negative thing I will say about the book is that even though Easer offered an onslaught of contradictions and confusion to play with the reader’s emotions, her confusion didn’t necessarily hide the secrets that perhaps, she was hoping for. And though I wasn’t able to guess the ending by any means, I was able to predict many aspects around it. But, even with that said, my accurate predictions couldn’t take away from how entertained I was with the book—at all.
I loved that Easer didn’t play it safe for her debut novel. She was provocative and daring and cool. This book really appealed to my sensibilities; especially my sense of humor. And if you want a fun, campy, creepy, eighties-inspired, WTF thriller about the extremities of friendship, obsession, loyalty, and love, then I can’t recommend a better novel. This is it! You can’t go wrong. Now, the only bummer is having to wait for Easer’s next novel. I just hope that when it finally comes out, it’ll surpass this one in terms of sheer outlandishness—and also that it includes a kitchen sink.
I love off the wall things; things that are weird and strange and random and goofy and campy and ridiculous. Things that aren’t always so logical or predictable or sensible. Off the wall things add color and flavor to the world; and often times, these things crack me up. And I like to laugh—a lot! Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer encompasses this “off the wall” attitude that more fiction needs to embrace—and then some.
Sarah Weaver, a senior in high school, lives with her single, conservative grandmother in Beverly Hills, after both her parents—more or less—abandoned her. One day, said grandmother catches Sarah in the throes of passion with Brad Taylor, the most popular guy in school. Needless to say, grandmother was not pleased with what she saw. So, after graduation, grandmother gave Sarah two options: Attend Wetherly (an all-girls college located in Massachusetts that was grandma’s alma mater) or go to a college of her own choice; only, with the second option, grandmother wouldn’t pay for tuition. Left with very little choice and a lot of reluctance, Sarah chooses Wetherly.
Once at Wetherly, she meets her new soon-to-be roommates: Madison Snow (the innocent, pretty friend, who everyone adores) and Agnes Pierce (the more masculine, “less attractive” friend, who seems to be in love with Madison herself). The friendship amongst these three girls sets into motion one of the most bizarre, fun, entertaining, laugh-out-loud, clap-my-hands in glee stories I have ever read—and I love it!
Easer embraces what fiction is supposed to be. I’m not going to attempt to summarize the plot because in her story, she includes a River Phoenix poster, a hurt fawn, an ominous gypsy, hair clots, a ketchup bottle, a naked party, an eighties party, obsession, manipulation, sabotage, secrets, lies—basically everything but the kitchen sink. And all this adds up to one great page-turner.
The character themselves are all so colorful and prominent. I liked how Easer made each of them strange and full of contradictions, which not only coincided with the one of the themes of this book (ambiguity of human nature), but it also amplified the entertainment value. I liked how Sarah, the protagonist, rambled on and on, revealing not only her random thoughts to us, but also her contradictions. For example, when she first met Sebastian (Madison’s boyfriend), she thought his lack of intellect made him unattractive, but still, she couldn’t deny that she was sexually drawn to him. I like that honesty in Sarah because not only did she show her flaws—even as a protagonist—but it also played into the endless mind games that the characters perpetuated. Super thumbs up for the cohesion of elements.
The one negative thing I will say about the book is that even though Easer offered an onslaught of contradictions and confusion to play with the reader’s emotions, her confusion didn’t necessarily hide the secrets that perhaps, she was hoping for. And though I wasn’t able to guess the ending by any means, I was able to predict many aspects around it. But, even with that said, my accurate predictions couldn’t take away from how entertained I was with the book—at all.
I loved that Easer didn’t play it safe for her debut novel. She was provocative and daring and cool. This book really appealed to my sensibilities; especially my sense of humor. And if you want a fun, campy, creepy, eighties-inspired, WTF thriller about the extremities of friendship, obsession, loyalty, and love, then I can’t recommend a better novel. This is it! You can’t go wrong. Now, the only bummer is having to wait for Easer’s next novel. I just hope that when it finally comes out, it’ll surpass this one in terms of sheer outlandishness—and also that it includes a kitchen sink.
December 12, 2012
*some spoilers
Vicious Little Darlings did not make sense. Period.
Some shit in this book was just too effing weird.
Taking in a deer that you accidentally ran over to nurse back to health? To your dorm? Christ, I understand mothering a chipmunk, bird or something else but a deer? One that has some sort of irritable bowel syndrome? If the author was advocating for PETA or the fact that she adores all creatures great and small, this was a disgusting, bizarre and unreal way to do it.
Sarah, as a protagonist, was just an idiot. A slutty idiot. She bragged about her sexcapades, sleeping with people less than 24 hours after knowing them (Reed) and mounting her crazy friend's boyfriend in a friggin' closet (Sebastian).
Her idiocy is proved further by the fact that she's part of a friendship triangle that spells weird. Why someone would want to be part of something so messy without having common sense is beyond me.
Further, even when she sees all the "darkness in Maddy's soul", instead of running and throwing an 'eff you, bitches!' over her shoulder, she stays put, explaining that there's no way she would leave Maddy. Apparently, Maddy's childlike exterior makes everyone want to protect her like some helpless female bird.
Even further, she agrees to help Maddy plot a murder against Agnes. MURDER. God, that whole book turned into some B-rated movie.
Why does Sarah agree to this insane plot? The author explains that Maddy had put a spell on Sarah to agree to it. A spell.
This was a half-ass explanation because in the first place, this book has no supernatural crap as much as it was said to have. And apart from Maddy's fascination with dying young and getting her future told by gypsies, there's no mention of dark magic, so a spell to make someone agree to what she says? Author, please. Don't insult our intelligence.
Agnes on the other hand was just a creepy character. She's their ATM and housekeeper, paying the rent, buying and cooking the meals, and apparently, she loves it all, because when they were kids playing with their Barbies, her and Maddy made eye contact and bam! Friends for keeps, which was really a weird non-sexual love connection that the two had.
I really wanted to see a confrontation between Agnes and Maddy, especially after the truth had been discovered. It didn't happen. Agnes was painted a martyr in the end, and I hated that, because it would have been a great chance for the author to let Agnes see just what kind of person Maddy really was instead of carrying around that intense love she had for her.
Vicious Little Darlings did not make sense. Period.
Some shit in this book was just too effing weird.
Taking in a deer that you accidentally ran over to nurse back to health? To your dorm? Christ, I understand mothering a chipmunk, bird or something else but a deer? One that has some sort of irritable bowel syndrome? If the author was advocating for PETA or the fact that she adores all creatures great and small, this was a disgusting, bizarre and unreal way to do it.
Sarah, as a protagonist, was just an idiot. A slutty idiot. She bragged about her sexcapades, sleeping with people less than 24 hours after knowing them (Reed) and mounting her crazy friend's boyfriend in a friggin' closet (Sebastian).
Her idiocy is proved further by the fact that she's part of a friendship triangle that spells weird. Why someone would want to be part of something so messy without having common sense is beyond me.
Further, even when she sees all the "darkness in Maddy's soul", instead of running and throwing an 'eff you, bitches!' over her shoulder, she stays put, explaining that there's no way she would leave Maddy. Apparently, Maddy's childlike exterior makes everyone want to protect her like some helpless female bird.
Even further, she agrees to help Maddy plot a murder against Agnes. MURDER. God, that whole book turned into some B-rated movie.
Why does Sarah agree to this insane plot? The author explains that Maddy had put a spell on Sarah to agree to it. A spell.
This was a half-ass explanation because in the first place, this book has no supernatural crap as much as it was said to have. And apart from Maddy's fascination with dying young and getting her future told by gypsies, there's no mention of dark magic, so a spell to make someone agree to what she says? Author, please. Don't insult our intelligence.
Agnes on the other hand was just a creepy character. She's their ATM and housekeeper, paying the rent, buying and cooking the meals, and apparently, she loves it all, because when they were kids playing with their Barbies, her and Maddy made eye contact and bam! Friends for keeps, which was really a weird non-sexual love connection that the two had.
I really wanted to see a confrontation between Agnes and Maddy, especially after the truth had been discovered. It didn't happen. Agnes was painted a martyr in the end, and I hated that, because it would have been a great chance for the author to let Agnes see just what kind of person Maddy really was instead of carrying around that intense love she had for her.
October 14, 2012
Katherine Easer’s Vicious Little Darlings is an unbelievable train wreck. It’s compelling awful. The plot is so peculiar and the characters are so unlikable that sheer bafflement will power your journey through page after page of illogical nonsense, but your effort will never be rewarded with cleverness or good writing. In short, if you’re at all tempted to check this book out based on all the positive reviews it has here on goodreads, don’t.
VLD reads like the diary of a fickle teenager suffering from a debilitating lack of personal awareness. The protagonist, Sarah, is unabashedly slutty. She’ll sleep with any man that looks in her direction, even if she thinks he’s creepy, stupid, disgusting or irritating. But she’s not sexually confident or empowered, nor is this an empowering novel or sexually confident novel. The descriptive passages of each of the many sex scenes follows the following template:
We have sex. Ten minutes later, we’re done.
Mmm, titillating.
Sarah isn't sure what fuels her desire for unfulfilling sexual exploits. She often alludes to the fact that there are reason why she’s emotionally unavailable and jumps into bed with every guy she meets (her parents screwed her up, duh), but it’s never made explicitly clear, because the author doesn't know herself. In fact, the author doesn't know this character at all. She spends little to no time at all fleshing Sarah out and gives her no conceivable motivation to do any of the baffling things that she does. Her opinions on people and situations are constantly in flux. She goes from feeling anxious that her new boyfriend will break her heart to blowing him off for being too clingy all on the same page.
The plot is illogical and jarring. Characters show up and do strange things for no reason. Stuff happens that doesn't further the plot. The only thing the story has going for it is it’s lack of predictability. But that’s only because no one in the story behaves in a believable manor and the story isn't restrained by anything like logic, good sense, or plausibility.
The author is obviously inexperienced at writing. I’m tempted to believe that a month before writing VLD, she picked up her very first novel, read it, and thought ‘Hey, I can do that!’ Katherine Easer is the literary equivalent to talent-less socialites who decide to become DJ’s on a whim. Her book is an insult to real writers who take the time to learn the craft of writing and make an effort to turn out something cognitive and meaningful. Do Easer a favor and don’t read her embarrassingly awful first novel.
VLD reads like the diary of a fickle teenager suffering from a debilitating lack of personal awareness. The protagonist, Sarah, is unabashedly slutty. She’ll sleep with any man that looks in her direction, even if she thinks he’s creepy, stupid, disgusting or irritating. But she’s not sexually confident or empowered, nor is this an empowering novel or sexually confident novel. The descriptive passages of each of the many sex scenes follows the following template:
We have sex. Ten minutes later, we’re done.
Mmm, titillating.
Sarah isn't sure what fuels her desire for unfulfilling sexual exploits. She often alludes to the fact that there are reason why she’s emotionally unavailable and jumps into bed with every guy she meets (her parents screwed her up, duh), but it’s never made explicitly clear, because the author doesn't know herself. In fact, the author doesn't know this character at all. She spends little to no time at all fleshing Sarah out and gives her no conceivable motivation to do any of the baffling things that she does. Her opinions on people and situations are constantly in flux. She goes from feeling anxious that her new boyfriend will break her heart to blowing him off for being too clingy all on the same page.
The plot is illogical and jarring. Characters show up and do strange things for no reason. Stuff happens that doesn't further the plot. The only thing the story has going for it is it’s lack of predictability. But that’s only because no one in the story behaves in a believable manor and the story isn't restrained by anything like logic, good sense, or plausibility.
The author is obviously inexperienced at writing. I’m tempted to believe that a month before writing VLD, she picked up her very first novel, read it, and thought ‘Hey, I can do that!’ Katherine Easer is the literary equivalent to talent-less socialites who decide to become DJ’s on a whim. Her book is an insult to real writers who take the time to learn the craft of writing and make an effort to turn out something cognitive and meaningful. Do Easer a favor and don’t read her embarrassingly awful first novel.
August 14, 2011
Here is the entire review on my blog: http://oopsireadthatbook.blogspot.com/2011/08/vicious-little-darlings-by-katherine.html
Disturbing.
Chilling.
For a YA book it was surprisingly gritty and unexpected.
The book was promoted as being similar to Pll.
But it’s not.
It’s so much better.
The summary doesn’t really give out much and that was perfect because I devoured the book hungrily. I couldn’t put it down till I finished it. And even when I did it left me breathless and I couldn’t really disconnect from it immediately.
It had taken over my mind entirely.
It was such an intense book.
And so realistic and believable.
It kept me on my edge and sent a myriad of emotions flowing through me.
The protagonist and the other two main characters were so heavily flawed it was ridiculous and pleasing at the same time. I could identify with some of the creepiest thing.
Everyone in this book is so wrecked, so wrong, so manipulative
I do believe that the nicest people are slightly mentally unhinged. And we all have some evil in us.
Possessive BFF’s is something I have experienced so I could totally get that plotline.
This book left me with the similar feeling I get after watching psychological thrillers.
This book is vicious.
And it’s a must read.
Sometimes I am left furious that books like these don’t become bestsellers but every book about a girl falling in love with a vampire/fallen angel and what not which has no particular plot becomes a outright favourite and sells like hot cakes.
It’s sad really.
Suspenseful and eerie, this is easily one of my top favourite books of the year.
Lastly, because I can NOT praise it enough I would say it was a Mind-blowing read. I still feel shocked and disturbed.
Disturbing.
Chilling.
For a YA book it was surprisingly gritty and unexpected.
The book was promoted as being similar to Pll.
But it’s not.
It’s so much better.
The summary doesn’t really give out much and that was perfect because I devoured the book hungrily. I couldn’t put it down till I finished it. And even when I did it left me breathless and I couldn’t really disconnect from it immediately.
It had taken over my mind entirely.
It was such an intense book.
And so realistic and believable.
It kept me on my edge and sent a myriad of emotions flowing through me.
The protagonist and the other two main characters were so heavily flawed it was ridiculous and pleasing at the same time. I could identify with some of the creepiest thing.
Everyone in this book is so wrecked, so wrong, so manipulative
I do believe that the nicest people are slightly mentally unhinged. And we all have some evil in us.
Possessive BFF’s is something I have experienced so I could totally get that plotline.
This book left me with the similar feeling I get after watching psychological thrillers.
This book is vicious.
And it’s a must read.
Sometimes I am left furious that books like these don’t become bestsellers but every book about a girl falling in love with a vampire/fallen angel and what not which has no particular plot becomes a outright favourite and sells like hot cakes.
It’s sad really.
Suspenseful and eerie, this is easily one of my top favourite books of the year.
Lastly, because I can NOT praise it enough I would say it was a Mind-blowing read. I still feel shocked and disturbed.
August 22, 2014
Uh. That was so damn awful I don't think I have words to describe it, but I'm going to try anyway. This was one of the most poorly written books I've ever read. The plot is just plain awful. Random sequences, odd circumstances, characters with no point. All tied up with a pretty bow of Sarah Bear's endless tirade of stupid commentary. Thank god it was quick, even a single page more would have done me in.
Basically the blurb sums it up; Sarah becomes friends with already established friends Maddy and Agnes, and moves in with them. But there is no mention of the cracked love triangles, random nudity and sex, the lies and the money flashing. Most of Sarah's thoughts during this time are never ending tirades and pointless musing. I have no idea how I finished this.
If complete random circumstances are your thing, go for this book. If not, run for the hills!
Basically the blurb sums it up; Sarah becomes friends with already established friends Maddy and Agnes, and moves in with them. But there is no mention of the cracked love triangles, random nudity and sex, the lies and the money flashing. Most of Sarah's thoughts during this time are never ending tirades and pointless musing. I have no idea how I finished this.
If complete random circumstances are your thing, go for this book. If not, run for the hills!
March 30, 2012
This was completely awful, in every single way possible. I wish I could get back the time I spent reading this :/
January 13, 2013
2.5
i'm not sure if i'm being a bit too generous or harsh with my rating but maybe you can decide for yourself by the end of this review.
sarah's grandmother basically sends her packing to an all girls school after she catches her with a guy. there she meets her roommate- maddy - and maddy's best mate agnes. as she starts spending more time together with these girls, she eventually gets caught up in their world - and not for the better.
very early on it becomes apparent that something isn't quite right with agnes or maddy. may it be the odd behaviour, their erratic personalities or the mean looks they give her when they think she isn't looking- it definitely keeps you on your toes and wondering just what in the world is their problem?
there is one key problem with this book though. it has some very rookie mistakes. i often felt like i was being talked down to. and this might just be me but i really don't like being spoon fed information. i don't want you to tell me that agnes is lusting over maddy. that there's a connection between them. i don't need to be told these things. this should be for me to decide and to pick up on from the way they interact. I would have much rather preferred to have kept guessing if they did or didn't rather being force-fed the info. there's a few plot holes too. how in the world did the deer heal from a fatal wound without being tended to (i doubt that a bandage would do the trick) and what exactly happened with reed?
all in all it does have its flaws. it is filled with cliches and dramatic moments but darn it i would be lying if i didn't admit that i was hooked. it's a very quick read, and i devoured it from start to finish. just to let you know there is a bit of mystery that will keep you turning the pages, as well as the curiosity to know what will happen at the end, but for me the ending was just annoying. by the end all three girls are so bloody annoying and horrible that i could not have cared less about them. also, this book could not for the life of it seem to decide what genre it was.
i'm not sure if i'm being a bit too generous or harsh with my rating but maybe you can decide for yourself by the end of this review.
sarah's grandmother basically sends her packing to an all girls school after she catches her with a guy. there she meets her roommate- maddy - and maddy's best mate agnes. as she starts spending more time together with these girls, she eventually gets caught up in their world - and not for the better.
very early on it becomes apparent that something isn't quite right with agnes or maddy. may it be the odd behaviour, their erratic personalities or the mean looks they give her when they think she isn't looking- it definitely keeps you on your toes and wondering just what in the world is their problem?
there is one key problem with this book though. it has some very rookie mistakes. i often felt like i was being talked down to. and this might just be me but i really don't like being spoon fed information. i don't want you to tell me that agnes is lusting over maddy. that there's a connection between them. i don't need to be told these things. this should be for me to decide and to pick up on from the way they interact. I would have much rather preferred to have kept guessing if they did or didn't rather being force-fed the info. there's a few plot holes too. how in the world did the deer heal from a fatal wound without being tended to (i doubt that a bandage would do the trick) and what exactly happened with reed?
all in all it does have its flaws. it is filled with cliches and dramatic moments but darn it i would be lying if i didn't admit that i was hooked. it's a very quick read, and i devoured it from start to finish. just to let you know there is a bit of mystery that will keep you turning the pages, as well as the curiosity to know what will happen at the end, but for me the ending was just annoying. by the end all three girls are so bloody annoying and horrible that i could not have cared less about them. also, this book could not for the life of it seem to decide what genre it was.
March 24, 2011
A good young adult contemporary novel, to me, is gritty and real, with a plot that is reasonable, yet has a great twist. A twist I can't guess by the second chapter of the novel. Well, my friends, I am so happy to tell you I found that in Vicious Little Darlings.
I really didn't know what to expect when I started this ARC, but when I got into chapter one, I fell in love with the main character, Sarah. She was different, with tons of flaws, which makes a great character. I love how she had this internal struggle about her promiscuity. It made her seem real. She battled with making everyone else, but herself, happy. This of course only adds to her misery.
Sarah's two friends really stumped me. Maddie was sweet at times, but seemed crazy most of the time. Easer did a great job making Maddie come across as someone to watch closely. Agnes on the other hand, just seemed to be a raging bitch and a closet lesbian. She keeps a gun in her purse and isn't afraid to threaten random people with. Seriously, these two kept me on the edge of my seat. They kept me guessing until the end. :)
I love, love, loved this novel. It was so gritty. Easer let loose in this debut. She didn't hold back on the cursing, sexual description, or the sear violence in the novel. For that she is now on my favorite YA authors list and I will anxious to read anything else she puts out.
July 6, 2020
I debated whether to give this a one or two star rating but ultimately went for one because two says "it was okay" and this is not okay. It's bad. I don't ask for much, but I do need someone to root for or at the very least, someone to root against and have that be paid off in some way. Yeah, I didn't even like the poor doomed deer in this thing. Eventually I kinda was okay with Agnes but not enough to salvage the rest of the book.
Sarah's an idiot and there's no reason she'd actually be as entangled with Maddy and Agnes as she is, at least not based on anything we were shown. It felt like there was an interesting story here, which is probably why it wound up on my "ooh, shiny" shelf so long ago, but it never comes together properly.
Sarah's an idiot and there's no reason she'd actually be as entangled with Maddy and Agnes as she is, at least not based on anything we were shown. It felt like there was an interesting story here, which is probably why it wound up on my "ooh, shiny" shelf so long ago, but it never comes together properly.
January 4, 2013
Awful. The characters were not believable, the situations were not believable, and the plot made no sense. Three young girls who are all, in their own separate ways, insane. No real build up just a boring story until the "shocking" ending. Sorry, not my cup of tea.
December 13, 2011
This book is awful. Just ... terrible.
October 10, 2016
Okay, Vicious Little Darlings was definitely a weird book. I personally didn't find it as scary or disturbing as some of the other reviewers did (probably because I've read so much worse by other authors), but it certainly still had its fair share of creepiness (especially for a Young Adult novel). The story revolves around three first-years at an all woman's college- Sarah (the narrator), Agnes, and Maddy. Sarah was just an okay character. At the beginning of the novel, I really liked her spunky personality and opinionated views. But by the end, I was starting to get sick of her fast. The girl is full of contradictions. She doesn't believe in love... but yet, falls deeply for a guy after only meeting him once or twice, to the point where she feels lost with every moment that he's gone. This would settle okay with me after a while, if she then didn't LATER let him walk away from her, simply because Maddy told her to, and they got in a minor argument. Anyway, speaking of Maddy and Agnes, these two characters were much more interesting than Sarah. Maddy's your classic beautiful, innocent girl that everyone can't help but love. And then you have Agnes (my personal favorite of the three), who is quite the opposite: dark, mysterious, and completely in love with Maddy. I really wish the story would have focused a little bit more on Agnes, instead of giving you so much information on Sarah and Maddy.
But, characters aside, I'm not even going to go very far into the plot. You can get a good idea of it from the other reviews and the book description itself. Basically, it's all about these three girls and how things start to get weird after they move into their own house (especially between Maddy and Agnes). Overall, I found the plot to be very strange. But... not in a bad way. Quite honestly, I loved this book until the end. I thought the first 250 pages were great-- they were interesting, creepy, and just really pulled you in. After that, I could kind of predict how it was going to turn out . The ending itself I didn't like, either. The climax was a whole ten pages, and then it was over. I feel as if Easer should have done something to make this not such an immediate ending- whether it would be starting the climax earlier or writing more of a conclusion- this book just needed a little more. I felt it a little unfair to read the whole thing only for such a short climax and short conclusion afterward. The way the end actually turned out was a kind of disappointment to me, as well.
I don't really even know what to say in reaction to this book. It's a quick and easy read, that was great as it went along, but left me feeling disappointed at the end. When I finished reading it, I felt as if I had wasted my time. But, looking back on it now, I don't think I really regret reading the whole thing. If the ending had been different, I would have definitely given this novel 4-5 stars. I'm not sure if I would recommend it to others or not. I suppose if it sounds interesting and you're okay with a twisted conclusion, then go ahead and read it. But, I would definitely suggest borrowing it from a friend or library, instead of blowing sixteen dollars on it. Also, as a quick side note, you should be aware that Vicious Little Darlings deals with a little more supernatural ideas than it lets onto at the beginning- there are gypsies, Maddy believes she's physic, and at one point Sarah and Maddy believe that they've talked to the dead. I personally have never been one for supernatural books, but this one added just enough in that I could deal with it. But, if that kind of thing seriously bothers you, then be aware of it before you start. Anyway, as much as I hated the ending, I still believe that Katherine Easer is a good writer, so I'll probably pick up anything else she writes out of pure curiosity.
3/5 stars.
But, characters aside, I'm not even going to go very far into the plot. You can get a good idea of it from the other reviews and the book description itself. Basically, it's all about these three girls and how things start to get weird after they move into their own house (especially between Maddy and Agnes). Overall, I found the plot to be very strange. But... not in a bad way. Quite honestly, I loved this book until the end. I thought the first 250 pages were great-- they were interesting, creepy, and just really pulled you in. After that, I could kind of predict how it was going to turn out . The ending itself I didn't like, either. The climax was a whole ten pages, and then it was over. I feel as if Easer should have done something to make this not such an immediate ending- whether it would be starting the climax earlier or writing more of a conclusion- this book just needed a little more. I felt it a little unfair to read the whole thing only for such a short climax and short conclusion afterward. The way the end actually turned out was a kind of disappointment to me, as well.
I don't really even know what to say in reaction to this book. It's a quick and easy read, that was great as it went along, but left me feeling disappointed at the end. When I finished reading it, I felt as if I had wasted my time. But, looking back on it now, I don't think I really regret reading the whole thing. If the ending had been different, I would have definitely given this novel 4-5 stars. I'm not sure if I would recommend it to others or not. I suppose if it sounds interesting and you're okay with a twisted conclusion, then go ahead and read it. But, I would definitely suggest borrowing it from a friend or library, instead of blowing sixteen dollars on it. Also, as a quick side note, you should be aware that Vicious Little Darlings deals with a little more supernatural ideas than it lets onto at the beginning- there are gypsies, Maddy believes she's physic, and at one point Sarah and Maddy believe that they've talked to the dead. I personally have never been one for supernatural books, but this one added just enough in that I could deal with it. But, if that kind of thing seriously bothers you, then be aware of it before you start. Anyway, as much as I hated the ending, I still believe that Katherine Easer is a good writer, so I'll probably pick up anything else she writes out of pure curiosity.
3/5 stars.
December 10, 2011
This book has been on and off of my To read list for months now. I think oh this sounds interesting, then see it later on and think ehh, and take it off. Then I'll see someone else add it so I re add it and the process continues. I finally just sat down and said fuck it, I'll read it so I don't keep re adding it. I'm glad I finally sat down and read it.
First things first, some of you are going to want to take this book off you lists: There is a lot of sex mentioned in this book. At least at first. There's no details, but it's usually meaningless and I know a lot of my friends on here don't approve of that, so don't waist your time reading it. As for me, that's never really bothered me, I have a pretty high tolerance for what bugs me.
Sarah is sent to an all girls college, because her grandma catches her sleeping with a boy, and it was either pay for college on your own or go to an all girls school. Needless to say Sarah picked the latter. She ends up roomed with Madison, or Maddy who Sarah doesn't like right away, probably due to fact that when she first met, she walked in on Maddy giving her boyfriend Sebastion a blow job. (Once again this book isn't for everyone.) But they eventually become friends.
Maddy's best friend is Agnes, who is a complete and utter control freak, especially over Maddy. She doesn't like Sarah at first, and assumes she's trying to take Maddy away from her. But they eventually get over that and Sarah and Agnes become friends too.
After awhile of Sarah just sleeping with any guy that comes onto her I pretty much gave up on her finding someone, that is until Reed shows up. Although Sarah did sleep with him on the first date, she was later freaked out when he tried to cuddle with her... which shows this girl has some major problems. She does admit that she's afraid of falling in love, because it only leads to heartbreak. But she mets up with him again and they end up a couple. Even though Reed was described as looking like Edward Scissorhands, I still liked him a lot more then Sebastion who was suppose to be uber hot, even though the author described him as stupid and hairy. Hairy guys are gross. Ditto with stupid guys.
Strange things start to happen, and Sarah notices that Maddy is lying a lot, and acting weird. You start to notice that Maddy and Agnes have a stranger friendship then originally let on to believe. Things aren't adding up. Maddy says Agnes is trying to control her life, and that she's trying to make Sarah move out, so she won't have to compete for Maddy's attention.
I went back and forth about who I thought was really crazy, Maddy or Agnes. From the start even when Agnes completely hated Sarah and was kind of bitchy, I liked her more then Maddy. I could respect her at least for always telling the truth, even if she's was clingy and controling. I'm not saying she wasn't crazy, because they both were. (although one was more crazy then the other.)
In the end there are deaths. Whos deaths? I can't say. For those of you that can get past the mindless sex, this book is an intense rollercoaster of emotions, and lies. You won't expect what happens in the end.
First things first, some of you are going to want to take this book off you lists: There is a lot of sex mentioned in this book. At least at first. There's no details, but it's usually meaningless and I know a lot of my friends on here don't approve of that, so don't waist your time reading it. As for me, that's never really bothered me, I have a pretty high tolerance for what bugs me.
Sarah is sent to an all girls college, because her grandma catches her sleeping with a boy, and it was either pay for college on your own or go to an all girls school. Needless to say Sarah picked the latter. She ends up roomed with Madison, or Maddy who Sarah doesn't like right away, probably due to fact that when she first met, she walked in on Maddy giving her boyfriend Sebastion a blow job. (Once again this book isn't for everyone.) But they eventually become friends.
Maddy's best friend is Agnes, who is a complete and utter control freak, especially over Maddy. She doesn't like Sarah at first, and assumes she's trying to take Maddy away from her. But they eventually get over that and Sarah and Agnes become friends too.
After awhile of Sarah just sleeping with any guy that comes onto her I pretty much gave up on her finding someone, that is until Reed shows up. Although Sarah did sleep with him on the first date, she was later freaked out when he tried to cuddle with her... which shows this girl has some major problems. She does admit that she's afraid of falling in love, because it only leads to heartbreak. But she mets up with him again and they end up a couple. Even though Reed was described as looking like Edward Scissorhands, I still liked him a lot more then Sebastion who was suppose to be uber hot, even though the author described him as stupid and hairy. Hairy guys are gross. Ditto with stupid guys.
Strange things start to happen, and Sarah notices that Maddy is lying a lot, and acting weird. You start to notice that Maddy and Agnes have a stranger friendship then originally let on to believe. Things aren't adding up. Maddy says Agnes is trying to control her life, and that she's trying to make Sarah move out, so she won't have to compete for Maddy's attention.
I went back and forth about who I thought was really crazy, Maddy or Agnes. From the start even when Agnes completely hated Sarah and was kind of bitchy, I liked her more then Maddy. I could respect her at least for always telling the truth, even if she's was clingy and controling. I'm not saying she wasn't crazy, because they both were. (although one was more crazy then the other.)
In the end there are deaths. Whos deaths? I can't say. For those of you that can get past the mindless sex, this book is an intense rollercoaster of emotions, and lies. You won't expect what happens in the end.
July 9, 2011
What happens when a R.L. Stine Fearstreet book grows up? Vicious Little Darlings is what happens. What a creepy book. It has all the classic elements (sabotage, misunderstandings, murder) mixed with grown up situations.
The characters were only so-so. Sarah, the main character was really lackluster. I felt like she was flat, honestly. Now Agnes and Maddy... hmm... I would have liked to known more about Agnes. You kept getting hints at what she's like and what her home life is like, but there was never a complete picture. The book would have been much better if she had more explanation. Maddy was okay, as far as weirdo characters go. Of the three characters, she's probably the one that had the most depth. Weird huh?
The plot isn't very hard to figure out in this book. Actually, it's very predictable. I was really bothered by Sarah's wishy-washy character. She couldn't make up her mind. I felt like she was constantly going back and forth between liking Agnes and Maddy and hating them. On top of that, she was way too dependent on Agnes's money. It really bothered me that she refused to take herself out of a bad situation just because she was (essentially) greedy and didn't have money to support herself. I mean, heaven forbid that she actually stay in a dorm and get a job! And don't get me started about how easily she let the love of her life walk away just because Maddy said to. Friggin' ridiculous.
On top of that, there was a very intense almost lesbian-ish nature to Agnes and Maddy. You really couldn't tell what was up with them. Normally I could care less, but Maddy's actions were just a little too strange for me. Jumping into the bed of another girl totally naked while she's asleep? AND that girl isn't cool with it?! Um, yeah... I don't think so. Agnes spent the majority of the novel trying to prove that she loved Maddy unconditionally in a purely asexual kind of way. But yet, she was super possessive of her and hated any guy that showed an interest in Maddy. I'm telling you, it was intense.
The ending isn't all that shocking, especially if you read the synopsis. Obviously someone dies. Sorry about the spoiler. By the time the great climatic final 5 pages emerged, I was pretty put out. I had made up my mind that Sarah was a spineless piece of crap, Agnes was probably the best out of all the girls (even if she was a whack job), and Maddy was an outright lunatic. I had invested so much time in reading the book, that I had to find out the ending. But when I read the ending, I was a little peeved that I missed out on a full 8 hours of sleep for this book. I would probably give this a 2.5 if I did half rating, but since I don't it gets a solid 2.
The characters were only so-so. Sarah, the main character was really lackluster. I felt like she was flat, honestly. Now Agnes and Maddy... hmm... I would have liked to known more about Agnes. You kept getting hints at what she's like and what her home life is like, but there was never a complete picture. The book would have been much better if she had more explanation. Maddy was okay, as far as weirdo characters go. Of the three characters, she's probably the one that had the most depth. Weird huh?
The plot isn't very hard to figure out in this book. Actually, it's very predictable. I was really bothered by Sarah's wishy-washy character. She couldn't make up her mind. I felt like she was constantly going back and forth between liking Agnes and Maddy and hating them. On top of that, she was way too dependent on Agnes's money. It really bothered me that she refused to take herself out of a bad situation just because she was (essentially) greedy and didn't have money to support herself. I mean, heaven forbid that she actually stay in a dorm and get a job! And don't get me started about how easily she let the love of her life walk away just because Maddy said to. Friggin' ridiculous.
On top of that, there was a very intense almost lesbian-ish nature to Agnes and Maddy. You really couldn't tell what was up with them. Normally I could care less, but Maddy's actions were just a little too strange for me. Jumping into the bed of another girl totally naked while she's asleep? AND that girl isn't cool with it?! Um, yeah... I don't think so. Agnes spent the majority of the novel trying to prove that she loved Maddy unconditionally in a purely asexual kind of way. But yet, she was super possessive of her and hated any guy that showed an interest in Maddy. I'm telling you, it was intense.
The ending isn't all that shocking, especially if you read the synopsis. Obviously someone dies. Sorry about the spoiler. By the time the great climatic final 5 pages emerged, I was pretty put out. I had made up my mind that Sarah was a spineless piece of crap, Agnes was probably the best out of all the girls (even if she was a whack job), and Maddy was an outright lunatic. I had invested so much time in reading the book, that I had to find out the ending. But when I read the ending, I was a little peeved that I missed out on a full 8 hours of sleep for this book. I would probably give this a 2.5 if I did half rating, but since I don't it gets a solid 2.
April 21, 2011
If I had to describe this book in one word it would be: Bizarre! And creepy....very creepy. However, it was so creepy and bizarre that I could not stop reading it! I had to find out what was happening and why.
Sarah's grandma sends her to Wetherely College so she will "become a lady". Sarah's parents are nonexistent and her grandma does not approve of Sarah's wild and promiscuous ways. Once at Wetherely, Sarah finds her room...and her roommate Maddy. In fact, she walks in on Maddy and Maddy's boyfriend in a very private moment.
From there, things just get weird. Maddy and Sarah go to a cafe to eat and meet Maddy's very best friend, Agnes. Agnes is classy and old fashioned and extremely protective of Maddy. Agnes is almost obsessed with Maddy. On the way home Agnes hits a fawn and the girls take it to their dorm room and hide it while they nurse it back to health.
Then Agnes decides that they need to move off campus into a house together. Agnes and Maddy are both very wealthy and Agnes tells Sarah she will pay for all the expenses. Sarah doesn't know whether the girls are friends or lovers and spends her time there trying to decipher their relationship.
Sarah is your average girl. She is always trying to please people because she really just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere. Sarah is not wealthy and has problems with taking things from Agnes for free. Sarah tries to get a boyfriend and a job but these things are mysteriously sabotaged.
Maddy was crazy. She had a very Jekyll and Hyde personality. She appears to be a chronic, pathological liar. She seemed like a young child to me most times. She has this strange obsession with dying young and death in general. She was someone that kept me on my toes!
Agnes is very cold and detached unless it has to do with Maddy. She doesn't like Sarah at all but puts up with her because Maddy likes her. She is very possessive and appears to be a lesbian and madly in love with Maddy.
This has got to be one of the strangest books I have ever read. I never knew what was going to happen and I loved it! I could not put the book down at all just because I had to find out who was good and who was pure evil.
Sarah's grandma sends her to Wetherely College so she will "become a lady". Sarah's parents are nonexistent and her grandma does not approve of Sarah's wild and promiscuous ways. Once at Wetherely, Sarah finds her room...and her roommate Maddy. In fact, she walks in on Maddy and Maddy's boyfriend in a very private moment.
From there, things just get weird. Maddy and Sarah go to a cafe to eat and meet Maddy's very best friend, Agnes. Agnes is classy and old fashioned and extremely protective of Maddy. Agnes is almost obsessed with Maddy. On the way home Agnes hits a fawn and the girls take it to their dorm room and hide it while they nurse it back to health.
Then Agnes decides that they need to move off campus into a house together. Agnes and Maddy are both very wealthy and Agnes tells Sarah she will pay for all the expenses. Sarah doesn't know whether the girls are friends or lovers and spends her time there trying to decipher their relationship.
Sarah is your average girl. She is always trying to please people because she really just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere. Sarah is not wealthy and has problems with taking things from Agnes for free. Sarah tries to get a boyfriend and a job but these things are mysteriously sabotaged.
Maddy was crazy. She had a very Jekyll and Hyde personality. She appears to be a chronic, pathological liar. She seemed like a young child to me most times. She has this strange obsession with dying young and death in general. She was someone that kept me on my toes!
Agnes is very cold and detached unless it has to do with Maddy. She doesn't like Sarah at all but puts up with her because Maddy likes her. She is very possessive and appears to be a lesbian and madly in love with Maddy.
This has got to be one of the strangest books I have ever read. I never knew what was going to happen and I loved it! I could not put the book down at all just because I had to find out who was good and who was pure evil.
March 10, 2024
I like teen trash probably more than most, so I picked this one up to get my fix based on the book jacket.
I got through the book, but was tempted to give up more than once. The main character, Sarah, is unrealistically slutty. The other two, Maddie and Agnes are completely obnoxious. None of these characters invite empathy and are the worst role models yet. The Pretty Little Liars crew seem saintly compared to this trashy trio.
Maddie and Agnes are old pals who invite Sarah to move in with them. Some of the more bizarre plot twists in this book include hitting a fawn and nursing it in a dorm room, a potential lesbian romance, one night hook ups, a character faking losing her virginity with Ketchup to name a few. It's too bad, because at moments, the writer seems to have talent.
I'd skip this one unless you have a taste for the weird.
I got through the book, but was tempted to give up more than once. The main character, Sarah, is unrealistically slutty. The other two, Maddie and Agnes are completely obnoxious. None of these characters invite empathy and are the worst role models yet. The Pretty Little Liars crew seem saintly compared to this trashy trio.
Maddie and Agnes are old pals who invite Sarah to move in with them. Some of the more bizarre plot twists in this book include hitting a fawn and nursing it in a dorm room, a potential lesbian romance, one night hook ups, a character faking losing her virginity with Ketchup to name a few. It's too bad, because at moments, the writer seems to have talent.
I'd skip this one unless you have a taste for the weird.
May 13, 2011
This is the most crazy, insane, messed up book I have read in a long, long time. Not saying I didn't like it, because I did, it was just crazy. I'm usually good at figuring out what's going to happen in a book, but with this one I could never quite put my finger on it. I could never figure out who was or wasn't telling the truth. And I like that, it's nice to read a book that you can't figure everything out until the very end. I think it's also nice to see an author do something that's totally out of the box and so not "safe" for YA. I was also intrigued that all the characters were in college. I'm glad to see there's starting to be a few YA books that venture into college-aged protags.
April 10, 2013
Umm....What?!?!
November 5, 2012
Unpleasant, not very credible, with unlikable characters and a nagging feeling of plot holes and lack of motivation.
April 9, 2017
I decided to read this book because I i was looking in the library and it grabbed my eye, and the blurb intruiged me. I enjoyed this book because of how descriptive it was, i could picture their house, i could picture the girls, and I can easily imagine what it was like for Sarah. I learnt that from this book, things aren't always what they seem, and sometimes it can be hard to see what peoples true intentions are. I found Agnes was a really interesting character form this book because at the start, it was a very vague description of her and was always aimed as a bad guy. I think this was a really good and interesting book, that i would definitely recommend mend.
May 7, 2021
Honestly I have no idea what this book was trying to be or the story it was trying to communicate. The plot was confusing, the characters had ridiculous or flimsy motivations, and the whole thing was a painful experience.
September 26, 2018
Actual rating - 3.5
January 9, 2013
Sarah Weaver comes from a broken home in California and is now attending an all girls university in New England. She's missed the first year orientation so she hasn't gotten time to meet her roommate, who was too busy during the summer to respond to any of her emails. Her roommate is a strangely beautiful and Sarah finds herself instantly attracted to the other girl for some reason. At least, after she's gotten over catching the girl giving her boyfriend a blow job on the first day. But not all is what it seems.
I read this for my book club and was honestly surprised it slipped through just because of the fact that there are two high school students in our Young Adult book club and while I would have been fine reading this, they may not be so much. The constant references to sex totally through me off. For her to be so casual about all the boys and teachers she slept with is a little unreal to me. And for in the very first chapter to have her walk in on her roommate giving her boyfriend a BJ. And then to have them sleep together in the closet, that I could believe, but then for her to go on a date and then sleep with another guy within the same day without learning his name is another leap of faith for me.
I've seen this book compared to Pretty Little Liars and if it's supposed to be better than that, I'm glad I've never taken the time to read those books. Or watch the show for that matter. Maddy is simply a crazy bitch that Sarah should stay away from. She should have never moved into the house with them. If she hadn't then everything would have turned out differently. Sort of. Maddy and Agnes would still be dead probably.
And the fact that Sarah brushes off the fact that she was under a spell so easily boggles my mind. Shouldn't she have been at least a little bit worried? Or at least wondered how many other spells she may have been under? And to have Agnes so willing to pay for everything, cook and clean for everyone and to have such faith in Sarah that she would show her where she kept thousands of dollars worth of cash? I don't think so. Both Agnes and Maddy were simply bat shit cray cray. Honestly.
Oh, and when you're "friend" is constantly lying to you, you should probably take the hint and get out fast. If a friend of mine told me she lost her virginity and then found ketchup I was just looking for in her bedroom, I might be a little more suspicious. Honestly. Sarah even admits to herself that she lies as well to her friends, but not as badly as Maddy does. Once again, do warning bells not go off in your head?
And yet another thing, there seemed to be a slight mistake right after Sarah gets her hair cut. I'm pretty freaking positive that when you get your hair cut that short, as Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted, that you can NOT put it in a ponytail.
The writing style was easy and the book was a quick read for me. I was honestly sucked in after the first page and wanted to continue reading, but by the time I got to the end I was slightly disgusted. This book definitely reenforced my want to never touch a Pretty Little Liars novel. After writing this review, I really want to give it one star, but I will leave it at two because it did manage to suck me in and keep me reading until the very end. And the fact that it was a super quick read helps as well.
I read this for my book club and was honestly surprised it slipped through just because of the fact that there are two high school students in our Young Adult book club and while I would have been fine reading this, they may not be so much. The constant references to sex totally through me off. For her to be so casual about all the boys and teachers she slept with is a little unreal to me. And for in the very first chapter to have her walk in on her roommate giving her boyfriend a BJ. And then to have them sleep together in the closet, that I could believe, but then for her to go on a date and then sleep with another guy within the same day without learning his name is another leap of faith for me.
I've seen this book compared to Pretty Little Liars and if it's supposed to be better than that, I'm glad I've never taken the time to read those books. Or watch the show for that matter. Maddy is simply a crazy bitch that Sarah should stay away from. She should have never moved into the house with them. If she hadn't then everything would have turned out differently. Sort of. Maddy and Agnes would still be dead probably.
And the fact that Sarah brushes off the fact that she was under a spell so easily boggles my mind. Shouldn't she have been at least a little bit worried? Or at least wondered how many other spells she may have been under? And to have Agnes so willing to pay for everything, cook and clean for everyone and to have such faith in Sarah that she would show her where she kept thousands of dollars worth of cash? I don't think so. Both Agnes and Maddy were simply bat shit cray cray. Honestly.
Oh, and when you're "friend" is constantly lying to you, you should probably take the hint and get out fast. If a friend of mine told me she lost her virginity and then found ketchup I was just looking for in her bedroom, I might be a little more suspicious. Honestly. Sarah even admits to herself that she lies as well to her friends, but not as badly as Maddy does. Once again, do warning bells not go off in your head?
And yet another thing, there seemed to be a slight mistake right after Sarah gets her hair cut. I'm pretty freaking positive that when you get your hair cut that short, as Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted, that you can NOT put it in a ponytail.
The writing style was easy and the book was a quick read for me. I was honestly sucked in after the first page and wanted to continue reading, but by the time I got to the end I was slightly disgusted. This book definitely reenforced my want to never touch a Pretty Little Liars novel. After writing this review, I really want to give it one star, but I will leave it at two because it did manage to suck me in and keep me reading until the very end. And the fact that it was a super quick read helps as well.
September 30, 2017
The only think that made this book worthwhile was how I had to sort through Maddy's lies. I enjoyed sorting out the truths from the lies.
The main flaw, the single thing I really, really did not like about this book was the main character. She was vapid, licentious, insecure, brain-dead and conceited. The plot was a little easy to guess but it took some working out, and I enjoyed that but everything about the sex-obsessed main character just ruined the book for me. I won't be reading this book again.
The main flaw, the single thing I really, really did not like about this book was the main character. She was vapid, licentious, insecure, brain-dead and conceited. The plot was a little easy to guess but it took some working out, and I enjoyed that but everything about the sex-obsessed main character just ruined the book for me. I won't be reading this book again.
January 11, 2012
The Short Story? – A dark and twisted tale for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Imaginary Girls. Easer has written a sinfully filling debut about what happens when friendship gets real nasty. Addictive and entertaining, Vicious Little Darlings will challenge the meaning of friendship and push the limits of too far. A thriller like no other, Vicious Little Darlings will haunt you long after the last page.
The Long Story? – This book can only be described as the offspring of Pretty Little Liars and Imaginary Girls. All the twisted darkness and dirty secrets of PLL balanced with the artfully blurred sense of reality of Imaginary Girls. Vicious Little Darlings was very original and it really made me think. You couldn’t really separate a lie from the truth and throughout the whole book it’s like a mass of highly entertaining confusion. Loaded with secret agendas, betrayals, lies and death plots, the novel is dark and twisted and surprisingly addictive. Beautifully written, it’s comfortable to read and it really flows so you pretty much devour the novel. Easer has wonderfully complimented her complex and unpredictable plot with beautiful prose.
The whole novel is based around three girls, there are novels where the characters are fitted into the story but this is a novel where the story is fitted around the characters. The whole plot is based around the friendship of Maddy and Agnes and the intrusion of the new girl, Sarah. The novel is told through the perspective of Sarah who is embraced into the rich and glamorous lives of Maddy and Agnes however soon she find herself caught in a web of lies and a twisted friendship. Sarah wasn’t very well-developed physically, I still have no idea what she looks like or whether she’s pretty but she has depth and character which is more what the book is based around. The psychological side of things. Maddy and Agnes really did my head in because until the very end, it wasn’t clear who the nice one was and who was the mean one. Very deceptive characterization, Easer has created these very strong characters with hidden agendas.
Quite plainly, Vicious Little Darlings is a debut that really surprised me. A very psychological approach to telling a story yet the dark and twisted nature of the characters was transferred to the readers. Again, it’s sinfully filling and highly entertaining. The reality is blurred hiding secrets and lies behind the grime. Easer has written an unforgettable debut about a friendship turned vicious.
The Long Story? – This book can only be described as the offspring of Pretty Little Liars and Imaginary Girls. All the twisted darkness and dirty secrets of PLL balanced with the artfully blurred sense of reality of Imaginary Girls. Vicious Little Darlings was very original and it really made me think. You couldn’t really separate a lie from the truth and throughout the whole book it’s like a mass of highly entertaining confusion. Loaded with secret agendas, betrayals, lies and death plots, the novel is dark and twisted and surprisingly addictive. Beautifully written, it’s comfortable to read and it really flows so you pretty much devour the novel. Easer has wonderfully complimented her complex and unpredictable plot with beautiful prose.
The whole novel is based around three girls, there are novels where the characters are fitted into the story but this is a novel where the story is fitted around the characters. The whole plot is based around the friendship of Maddy and Agnes and the intrusion of the new girl, Sarah. The novel is told through the perspective of Sarah who is embraced into the rich and glamorous lives of Maddy and Agnes however soon she find herself caught in a web of lies and a twisted friendship. Sarah wasn’t very well-developed physically, I still have no idea what she looks like or whether she’s pretty but she has depth and character which is more what the book is based around. The psychological side of things. Maddy and Agnes really did my head in because until the very end, it wasn’t clear who the nice one was and who was the mean one. Very deceptive characterization, Easer has created these very strong characters with hidden agendas.
Quite plainly, Vicious Little Darlings is a debut that really surprised me. A very psychological approach to telling a story yet the dark and twisted nature of the characters was transferred to the readers. Again, it’s sinfully filling and highly entertaining. The reality is blurred hiding secrets and lies behind the grime. Easer has written an unforgettable debut about a friendship turned vicious.
October 18, 2013
I have to admit, I was tempted to read this book from the beautiful cover art, and that it promised an intriguing debut thriller. It is written from the perspective of a girl called Sarah, who is sent to an all-girls school after being caught in a compromising position with a man by her grandmother. Nana is hoping that Sarah, who has a few issues with men and sex (in that she can’t seem to get enough of it!), and is troubled by the absence of an uncaring mother, will straighten herself out at this school, and get along better without the problems that men seem to bring to her life. Almost immediately, Sarah makes friends with Maddy, a beautiful (but also troubled) girl and her best friend Agnes and moves in with them. But you’ve heard the expression – three’s a crowd? This definitely applies to this burgeoning friendship between the three girls and makes for a gripping plotline.
There are a number of complicated issues surrounding all three girls that involve dangerous obsession, jealousy, depression, deception with a more than healthy dose of teenage angst mixed in. Not one character is what she seems, and the author definitely surprised me a few times when I thought I knew where the story was headed. As individuals with their own separate traumas, they were all intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages – we have Sarah with her previously mentioned sexual deviance and abandonment issues, Maddy with her child-like “Disney princess” neediness, and Agnes who is distrustful, closed and unhealthily enamoured with Maddy. As a friendship, it’s a recipe for disaster, and accurately portrays the intensity that some female friendships can grow to, especially when there are three people in the relationship.
It was only as I approached the end of this novel that I began to feel slightly disappointed, for one thing it’s labelled as a debut “thriller,” yet I didn’t feel it qualified as anything like a thriller until the last twenty pages or so. We are given hints towards things unsaid, or darker deeds but I think if anything, it could have been slightly darker still, to give the story that necessary atmosphere. It almost felt like the author wasn’t sure what to do with the characters and rushed into an ending that felt impulsive rather than well thought out. This is only my opinion though, others may love the ending, I just didn’t consider it a gripping enough finale to a decent debut novel.
For my full review please see http://www.bibliobeth.wordpress.com
There are a number of complicated issues surrounding all three girls that involve dangerous obsession, jealousy, depression, deception with a more than healthy dose of teenage angst mixed in. Not one character is what she seems, and the author definitely surprised me a few times when I thought I knew where the story was headed. As individuals with their own separate traumas, they were all intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages – we have Sarah with her previously mentioned sexual deviance and abandonment issues, Maddy with her child-like “Disney princess” neediness, and Agnes who is distrustful, closed and unhealthily enamoured with Maddy. As a friendship, it’s a recipe for disaster, and accurately portrays the intensity that some female friendships can grow to, especially when there are three people in the relationship.
It was only as I approached the end of this novel that I began to feel slightly disappointed, for one thing it’s labelled as a debut “thriller,” yet I didn’t feel it qualified as anything like a thriller until the last twenty pages or so. We are given hints towards things unsaid, or darker deeds but I think if anything, it could have been slightly darker still, to give the story that necessary atmosphere. It almost felt like the author wasn’t sure what to do with the characters and rushed into an ending that felt impulsive rather than well thought out. This is only my opinion though, others may love the ending, I just didn’t consider it a gripping enough finale to a decent debut novel.
For my full review please see http://www.bibliobeth.wordpress.com
February 10, 2012
Review also posted at my blog, Books and a Cup of Tea
When I first heard about Vicious Little Darlings, I immediately fell in love with the premise. The fact that it says fans of Pretty Little Liars would love it had me hooked. It's definitely one of the more underrated novels of 2011 and I think it deserves more recognition. It's an amazing mystery thriller and is very creepy!
The characters in Vicious Little Darlings were wonderful. I felt that they were perfectly formed and each had their own flaws.
Sarah is the problem child. She's sent to the all-girls school after her Grandma catches her sleeping with a boy and she's none too happy. You can tell how mixed up Sarah is and how much she just wants to be loved, no matter how many times she says that she doesn't believe in it. Sarah reiterates the fact that she's messed up by sleeping with someone on the first date and someone's boyfriend. I loved that she was flawed, as this ultimately seemed to push her more into Maddy's and Agnes' arms.
Maddy and Agnes are just as messed up. Maddy is carefree, almost childlike sometimes, yet beautiful. She uses this to her advantage, often manipulating people without their knowing or compulsively lying, as she appears so innocent and nice. Agnes is very different from Maddy, she's mysterious, cold, and brooding. She's the ultimate of being poised, often to the extent of seeming ten times her age. She's also in love with Maddy, almost in a possessive way, which provides for more creepiness.
The plot was wonderfully juicy and such a page turner. I couldn't wait to figure out what was up with these two girls, why they were so strange! And while the outcome is definitely not something you'd expect, I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Overall, Vicious Little Darlings is the perfect read if you want something wacky and mysterious. A book that makes you race through the pages to get to the ending. But keep your mind open to possibilities, otherwise the ending might disappoint. I would recommend this to fans of mystery thrillers.
When I first heard about Vicious Little Darlings, I immediately fell in love with the premise. The fact that it says fans of Pretty Little Liars would love it had me hooked. It's definitely one of the more underrated novels of 2011 and I think it deserves more recognition. It's an amazing mystery thriller and is very creepy!
The characters in Vicious Little Darlings were wonderful. I felt that they were perfectly formed and each had their own flaws.
Sarah is the problem child. She's sent to the all-girls school after her Grandma catches her sleeping with a boy and she's none too happy. You can tell how mixed up Sarah is and how much she just wants to be loved, no matter how many times she says that she doesn't believe in it. Sarah reiterates the fact that she's messed up by sleeping with someone on the first date and someone's boyfriend. I loved that she was flawed, as this ultimately seemed to push her more into Maddy's and Agnes' arms.
Maddy and Agnes are just as messed up. Maddy is carefree, almost childlike sometimes, yet beautiful. She uses this to her advantage, often manipulating people without their knowing or compulsively lying, as she appears so innocent and nice. Agnes is very different from Maddy, she's mysterious, cold, and brooding. She's the ultimate of being poised, often to the extent of seeming ten times her age. She's also in love with Maddy, almost in a possessive way, which provides for more creepiness.
The plot was wonderfully juicy and such a page turner. I couldn't wait to figure out what was up with these two girls, why they were so strange! And while the outcome is definitely not something you'd expect, I enjoyed it nonetheless.
Overall, Vicious Little Darlings is the perfect read if you want something wacky and mysterious. A book that makes you race through the pages to get to the ending. But keep your mind open to possibilities, otherwise the ending might disappoint. I would recommend this to fans of mystery thrillers.
August 7, 2013
Get ready for a super-rant.
I have no words. I took up this book because it was an exclusive one on the shelves so I thought it couldn't be to bad. Boy, was I wrong.
I'll start with the positives first.
1.)It was something a lot of people could relate to, having to do with relationships, and school, and the struggles of growing up on your own.
2.) It was different from the usual book. There was no fictional, fantasy-like parts, or unbelievable stuff.
3.) The characters seemed so real, and I seriously felt like reaching into the book and strangling Sarah (just a bit) and Maddy (the entire damn book). Lots of emotion that got to the reader, which was nice to have for a change.
I think that's it...
Negatives... This is gonna be long...
1.) It was too off-focused. Everything seemed to be about sex. They made the characters seem like such sluts, and it was annoying how the main protagonist, Sarah, was portrayed as a whore. It was not the point. The point should have been that Sarah's going through a tough time. I know that the point of her sleeping with Sebastian was so Maddy could plot against her, but it shouldn't have been too focused on that, or the fact that she'd slept with more than 20 guys. It makes her seem like more of an antagonist instead of a good character.
2.) The ending. Oh my god. I'm gonna spoil it, because I don't want any of you to read the book anyways. Katherine Easer, the author, just killed off two of the three main characters! One shot the other, and then shot herself. Okay, uh that makes total sense. You have no way to end the book so you just kill of 2/3s of the freakin characters.
3.) It was too manipulative. Yeah, Maddy was supposed to be a manipulative freak sociopath murderer whatever, but I felt that it was too much. She told Sarah all these things, Agnes hates you, she's going to evict you, break up with Reed, you don't care about me, blah blah blah. There was too much emotional blackmail and manipulation (I'm using that word too much) and I didn't like that...
Ok that's it... I feel sick talking about it so I'm going to stop.
Read if you dare.
I have no words. I took up this book because it was an exclusive one on the shelves so I thought it couldn't be to bad. Boy, was I wrong.
I'll start with the positives first.
1.)It was something a lot of people could relate to, having to do with relationships, and school, and the struggles of growing up on your own.
2.) It was different from the usual book. There was no fictional, fantasy-like parts, or unbelievable stuff.
3.) The characters seemed so real, and I seriously felt like reaching into the book and strangling Sarah (just a bit) and Maddy (the entire damn book). Lots of emotion that got to the reader, which was nice to have for a change.
I think that's it...
Negatives... This is gonna be long...
1.) It was too off-focused. Everything seemed to be about sex. They made the characters seem like such sluts, and it was annoying how the main protagonist, Sarah, was portrayed as a whore. It was not the point. The point should have been that Sarah's going through a tough time. I know that the point of her sleeping with Sebastian was so Maddy could plot against her, but it shouldn't have been too focused on that, or the fact that she'd slept with more than 20 guys. It makes her seem like more of an antagonist instead of a good character.
2.) The ending. Oh my god. I'm gonna spoil it, because I don't want any of you to read the book anyways. Katherine Easer, the author, just killed off two of the three main characters! One shot the other, and then shot herself. Okay, uh that makes total sense. You have no way to end the book so you just kill of 2/3s of the freakin characters.
3.) It was too manipulative. Yeah, Maddy was supposed to be a manipulative freak sociopath murderer whatever, but I felt that it was too much. She told Sarah all these things, Agnes hates you, she's going to evict you, break up with Reed, you don't care about me, blah blah blah. There was too much emotional blackmail and manipulation (I'm using that word too much) and I didn't like that...
Ok that's it... I feel sick talking about it so I'm going to stop.
Read if you dare.
November 6, 2013
Seriously?
So the book is interesting at first. I was expecting a normal story about a girl going off to college and finding herself.
Yeah, no.
- Agnes is stupidly in love with Maddy. To the point where she dies for her? Not normal.
- Agnes is asexual? I don't get it. I would understand if Agnes was in love with Maddy and wanted a relationship. But this? I don't get.
- Sarah sleeps with anyone and can't handle a relationship. I was sad it didn't work out with Reed to be honest.
- Maddy is a psycho. Manipulating everyone, constantly lying. Not well, might I add.
- who the hell takes a deer to their dorm/home ? Gives it a dog bed?!?! What is wrong with you. Try to heal it, that's fine. But don't let a wild animal roam in your home shitting everywhere! Help it, and let it go!
- What the hell is up with Agnes' creepy doll room? Why does she even lock it? What happened with the guy Agnes was supposed to get married to? They just meet him and that's it. ??
- Big red flag: Maddy has a drawer full of drugs!? Yeah, she's crazy. Get the hell out of the house!
- The Reed thing pissed me off. Sarah should of ran outta there as fast as she could. Sarah tells Maddy she slept with her boyfriend. Fine. then Maddy forgives her in a day?? WTH? And asks her to stop seeing Reed? No. Get the hell out of that house man - She's crazy.
- Who the hell fakes loosing their virginity by squeezing some ketchup on the bed and saying that's your blood. ...whaaaat? LOL
- It gets weird with the gypsy reading. and Maddy's weird moods. If I heard that my roommate has weird mood swings, and believes in psychic readings and that she's going to die, I would NOT stick around. I would DEFINITELY not stay if my roommate asked me to help murder my other roommate. Grab the diary, call the friggen cops and get that chick committed.
Overall 2/5. It was entertaining at first. The ending was terrible. Parts of the story were unnecessary, or unresolved.
So the book is interesting at first. I was expecting a normal story about a girl going off to college and finding herself.
Yeah, no.
- Agnes is stupidly in love with Maddy. To the point where she dies for her? Not normal.
- Agnes is asexual? I don't get it. I would understand if Agnes was in love with Maddy and wanted a relationship. But this? I don't get.
- Sarah sleeps with anyone and can't handle a relationship. I was sad it didn't work out with Reed to be honest.
- Maddy is a psycho. Manipulating everyone, constantly lying. Not well, might I add.
- who the hell takes a deer to their dorm/home ? Gives it a dog bed?!?! What is wrong with you. Try to heal it, that's fine. But don't let a wild animal roam in your home shitting everywhere! Help it, and let it go!
- What the hell is up with Agnes' creepy doll room? Why does she even lock it? What happened with the guy Agnes was supposed to get married to? They just meet him and that's it. ??
- Big red flag: Maddy has a drawer full of drugs!? Yeah, she's crazy. Get the hell out of the house!
- The Reed thing pissed me off. Sarah should of ran outta there as fast as she could. Sarah tells Maddy she slept with her boyfriend. Fine. then Maddy forgives her in a day?? WTH? And asks her to stop seeing Reed? No. Get the hell out of that house man - She's crazy.
- Who the hell fakes loosing their virginity by squeezing some ketchup on the bed and saying that's your blood. ...whaaaat? LOL
- It gets weird with the gypsy reading. and Maddy's weird moods. If I heard that my roommate has weird mood swings, and believes in psychic readings and that she's going to die, I would NOT stick around. I would DEFINITELY not stay if my roommate asked me to help murder my other roommate. Grab the diary, call the friggen cops and get that chick committed.
Overall 2/5. It was entertaining at first. The ending was terrible. Parts of the story were unnecessary, or unresolved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews