The paramedics tell me I’m in shock as they load the body bag into the ambulance.
Only days ago, I had everything. A man I wanted to marry. A prestigious fellowship for graduate school. A perfect new apartment. I’m a psychology student. I should have known she was hiding something from the start…Now I’m shivering under a foil blanket wondering how my life became a nightmare.
And when the paramedics check me over, it’s not concern I see on their faces. It’s fear.
They think I did this. They think I killed her…
An edge-of-your-seat, gripping and unputdownable psychological thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose’s The Perfect Marriage.
Angela Henry is an Amazon Charts bestselling and award-winning author of twisty mysteries, thrillers, and urban fantasy. A retired library reference specialist, she’s the author of the Kendra Clayton mystery series and the Xavier Knight series, as well as the thrillers The Perfect Affair, Her Pretty Lies, The Family Lies, and The Paris Secret. She also writes middle-grade fiction as Angie Kelly. Angela lives in Ohio with her husband and their spoiled Chiweenie, Gidget.
Kendall is having her hands-down, full-blown worst day ever!
She just lost the funding for her fellowship. This means…she can’t pay for grad school or her new apartment she was getting ready to move into. And the job she gave up has already been filled. Thinking things couldn’t get worse, poor Kendall catches her boyfriend cheating. Kendall, you officially win the prize.🏆
But wait a minute…maybe her luck is turning around! Mackenzie, a popular influencer offers her the opportunity of a lifetime. One she cannot turn down. But come on…there’s got to be a catch, right? Oh, you betcha’! Things are about to go from bad to worse for Kendall.
This was very much a slow burn until about 40% then it went “click” and everything took off at lightning speed (better late than never)😉
Kendall’s side of the story had me captivated. I liked her character and curious how she was going to navigate around the seemingly insurmountable bad luck that had swallowed her up. Mackenzie’s character and story line unfortunately weren’t quite as clear, giving me a bit of trouble connecting with that side of the story.
Personal issue. I’m no wallflower but…the word “bitch” was used 27 times. Since the book is only 288 pages that means approximately every ten pages someone was called or referred to as a bitch. 🙄
And the word “f**k” 29 times. I’m all for an author to add flavor, but do you see where I’m going with this?💁🏼♀️ It was just too much.
Perhaps I’m just not the right audience for this book.🤷🏻♀️
Still, it’s a quick read and many readers came away really enjoying it. So make sure to take a look at all the positive reviews too!
Kendall just got a huge scholarship for her masters snatched right up from her. Then, her wonderful boyfriend does something hideous to cause their breakup. Now she’s homeless and broke. No way to fund the semester herself.
Kendall is approached by another student with a plan to get her out of her jam. However, their plan fails miserably.
All these characters have secrets. Every single one of them. Twists after twists were making my head spin. Who’s telling the truth and who are the liars? I enjoyed this suspenseful read up until the 80% mark. The last 20% had twists galore, which lowered my rating to 3.5 ⭐️. Just so much going on that I couldn’t keep up. 😳
If you’re a fan of Freida MF and Daniel Hurst, you’ll love this. Thanks so much Storm Publishing, NetGalley and Angela Henry for the opportunity. Release date May 3rd, 2024
Kendall’s grad school funding falls through and she finds herself resorting to academic fraud to pay her tuition. Can Kendall pass herself off as influencer, MacKenzie? And can she keep the spiralling secrets under control?
I LOVED this! It was fresh and modern and the storyline had me absolutely gripped. It’s got action right from the start and I think I’ve got whiplash from all those twists!
I really got behind Kendall and felt like all the characters were well developed. I adored her relationship with Cal, and Mackenzie was likeable as well.
If you’re looking for a fast paced thriller, definitely give this a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced copy.
Thank you to Netgalley & Storm Publishing for allowing me early access to Her Pretty Lie by Angel Henry.
This is a solid 4 star read. Kendall's plans crumble to pieces when she finds out her money and living situation is not what was to be expected & now she is at ground zero. Kendall finds herself in a unlikely situation which begs the question, do desperate people really do desperate things?
at about 80% i thought i had it all figured out, at 85% i wanted to DNF because WTF WAS THAT? BUT i am so glad i stuck it out because the ending was so perfectly wrapped up. I would definitely recommend this book!
Kendal Good has just lost her scholarship. With her job gone and now no money for a place to live, she doesn't know what she's going to do. Out of nowhere, she is offered a lifeline, a job, a place to live rent-free, from the highly sought-after and popular influencer, Mackenzie. Everything seems too good to be true. Will she take up this new opportunity? Does Mackenzie have her best interests at heart?
Her Pretty Lies is a binge-worthy, quick, easy read. This book contains a ton of drama, secrets, and lies from every character. You don't know who to trust. Everyone is hiding something. Whilst the prologue did grab my attention straight away, I'm afraid that as the story progressed, i struggled to keep myself invested in the plot and the characters. There is so much to keep up with. It has multiple story threads that, at times, are overwhelming, with the number of characters too. I did lose track a couple of times as to who was saying what and had to back track and re-read. It seems like every plot angle has been thrown into this book. It felt disjointed in places and unbelievable. This book was ok, I just didn't love it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Storm publishing. My opinions are my own.
Publication date : May 3, 2024 Narrated by: Rachel Handshaw Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
I really enjoyed The Perfect Affair. When I saw new book by Angela Henry, I grabbed it. Wow, this one didn't dissapoint me. I was hooked from the beginning and I kept guessing till the end. Well done!
“Call my mom! She’ll tell you I don’t belong here!” “Honey,” the nurse lifted her skirt and jammed the needle into the meat of her upper thigh, “who do you think admitted you?”
Okay, so this book ensorcelled me from the very beginning, and what a ride this has been. I love how the characters are chosen and their respective backgrounds. The title keeps you guessing. The writing is not that exceptional, but in most of the thrillers, it does not matter much. The only issue, I had with this is that there were quite a few topics left unexplored, but if you disregard them, the book overall is perfect for a quick thriller read.
“But did I really believe it? Was it really my own fault?”
You often begin to wonder if some of these players are honest or deceitful, which exposes many twists and turns, secrets and lies, betrayal, manipulation, deception, and the abuse of power, wealth, and influence. The character of Kendall is so alluring, and it is so well written. Also, I wanted to know more about what happened with Cal and Kendall besides what was at the end. I do get that this was a mystery thriller genre, but I honestly felt like the romance part was not done great with the aspect of the story. Either, it should have been completed or just not been there at all.
“There’s something that happens to you when you’ve been living under someone’s thumb for so long and you finally find yourself with some freedom. You’ll do anything not to have to go back to that situation.”
There are dual povs, though majorly Kendall covers most of them. The other, Mackenzie or Mac seems I don't know how to put it, but the closest word is an understatement and would I have loved to get her side of the story fully. It is just a bit rushed as her side of the story comes almost at the end of the book.
“Dear Diary, I know what really happened that night. My dad tried to kill me. I wish he had.”
What if you’d hit rock bottom and a complete stranger gave you a way out ? Would you take it , even if you knew it was a bad idea ?
“I know what happened that night. My dad tried to kill me. I wish he had.”
“Makeup is magic, and can make you look like anyone.”
This is a binge worthy book full of twists & turns and so many lies I could barely keep up as every character was lying 🤥!
If you like stories centred around : * Universities * Drama * Secrets * Endless Lies * Murder * Influencers 📸 Then this a book for you !!
Kendall Good has just walked in on her boyfriend of three years with another woman in their bed and to top it off she is broke . The very handsome scholarship she was offered just got ripped out from underneath her and she has nowhere to go.
Until she meets “Mac” and her life is about to change , but something feels off . Should she listen to her gut or follow the money 💰 🔪
This is a quick easy read although every plot line was thrown into to this book and utterly unbelievable it was exactly the perfect palette cleanser I was looking for !!
I really think fans of The Girls are All So Nic Here and IT Girl will go crazy for this book !
Thank you NetGalley , Storm Publishing and Angela Henry for this digital ARC !
This book has lots of twists and turns! Some are surprising. Some you see coming. I got a little bored with the book half way through. Kendall loses everything and things just keep getting worse and worse for her. There’s so many things from her childhood that come up. She was lied to by so many people.
The ending really saved the book. The twists and turns there were so good.
😩Life as she knew it was ripped out from under her. Her relationship, her scholarship, her living arrangements, her entire future! Distraught, and with no one to turn to, she felt she had no choice but to take the first opportunity presented to her, to help get her back on her feet.
😵💫 Things just get crazy from there! I’m talking murder, blackmail, secrets, backstabbing, lies, betrayal, skeletons and so many twists I could hardly keep up. (I live for some good twists!)
😱 This is a “trust no one,” didn’t see THAT coming novel. Very juicy, suspenseful and jaw dropping. Easy to binge in a day, great on audio. Loved all the things going on, but at the same time, it felt pretty tangled and unrealistic for ALL of them to go down in the same novel. It’s not easy to solve because it’s not 1 answer. Some things are obvious, but other parts are not so much. Great for those that love a good puzzle!
🧩 Overall, I really liked the plot, but I am not sure I can even remember who was blackmailing her and if all the mysteries were wrapped up after that wild ride of an ending. Maybe slightly too complex, but it was never dull or slow.
Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Angela Henry for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review!
Wow!!! This book gave me such whiplash from the twists it contained. Angela Henry and Her pretty Lies was a twisty turn(I think that's a word) rollercoaster of a ride the had me thinking What The Heck did she just say? What an incredible read. My only complaint is that maybe some of the twists were not needed because you did find yourself having to reread some of the parts to make sure you were keeping everything straight. But what an absolutely enjoyable read. I am now a fan of Angela Henry.
It was a fast-paced book and I finished it in one sitting. The book had me hooked from the beginning.
So many twist and turns that had me on the edge of my seat. The story is told from dual POV and made it difficult to decide who to trust.
All the characters seemed to be hiding something which the storyline even better. The book kept me guessing until the very end. This was my first book by Angela Henry and I absolutely loved it❤️
If you like a quick read with family drama and enjoy books by Freida McFadden, then this book might be for you.
I don't think I've ever read a book with so many twists! I was hooked from the beginning to the very end! Kendall has received a fellowship to attend Bellbrook, and she is excited about it until it is ripped from her. Kendall is upset by this, however she is determined to complete her psych degree, even if it means she has to do some dirty work to make ends meet. She is broke and now homeless, until she encounters the famous influencer MacKenzie Burk. Mac offers Kendall a deal that will provide her with more than enough funds, suggesting she commit academic fraud and attend her class for her. Kendall agrees to this, however not long after she starts impersonating Mac, Mac is murdered in their shared apartment. Kendall becomes a person of interest after the police find incriminating pictures Kendall posted to her instagram, pictures she was forced to post as part of some weird scavenger hunt an anonymous person required of her as part of blackmail. Kendall is determined to prove her innocence and starts digging into this "MacKenzie Burk", who turns out to not be the real MacKenzie Burk. Along the way, Kendall finds the answers she's been looking for and then some! This book was so good, every few chapters there was a twist! We find out who this imposter was and her connection to the real Mac, we find out what happened to the real Mac and where she was throughout all this, we find out info about Kendall's father (& real father), and more! 5 stars, hands down!
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Angela Henry for this unputdownable arc!
This is my second book by Angela and another 5 star read from her👏🏽 If you're looking for a book that will keep you entertained for hours, Her Pretty Lies is the perfect choice. It's a quick, easy read that's full of drama, secrets, and lies, making it a binge-worthy read. You'll be on the edge of your seat, trying to figure out who to trust, as everyone seems to be hiding something.
Synopsis : The paramedics tell me I’m in shock as they load the body bag into the ambulance.
Only days ago, I had everything. A man I wanted to marry. A prestigious fellowship for graduate school. A perfect new apartment. I’m a psychology student. I should have known she was hiding something from the start…Now I’m shivering under a foil blanket wondering how my life became a nightmare.
And when the paramedics check me over, it’s not concern I see on their faces. It’s fear.
They think I did this. They think I killed her…
An edge-of-your-seat, gripping and unputdownable psychological thriller for fans of Freida McFadden and Jeneva Rose’s The Perfect Marriage.
Add this one to your tbr list besties as it comes available on kindle unlimited May 3rd 2024✨
Thanks so much Storm Publishing, NetGalley and Angela Henry for this advanced copy.
Kendall is having the worst of luck when it comes to money and love… so when an offer for help is out on the table, she can’t help but accept, even though it’s more than shady. She quickly finds out that everything is not how it seems.
It started off a little choppy but quickly turned into a page turner, and everything came together so well. I flew through this book! It had multiple twists, and while I did see one of them coming, one of them got me GOOD! If you love books with lots of drama and lies… look no further!
Thanks so much to @stormbooks_co & @netgalley & the author for my advanced copy!
I really enjoyed this book and there were so many plot twist (maybe too many or too many characters and not enough time?). Besides Kendall, it seemed like everyone had rich people problems. This book really was easy to read and I couldn't put it down because I had to know what was going on. Tbh I was a bit confused at the start with the then/now perspectives of various people but it all made sense, especially at the end! Now, time to go back and read it again to see what I might have missed.
Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for this ARC!
After loving The Perfect Affair by Angela Henry, I was ecstatic to read this one! The premise had promise and the plot was interesting, but overall this one fell flat for me. There were some good twists, but quite a bit of it was predictable. There were so many different elements going on, it was hard to keep track of at times. The writing wasn’t very polished and things felt scattered. There wasn’t much depth to the characters and I felt no emotional connection to any of them. I found the ending unsatisfying and lackluster. This was honestly a little disappointing to me.
*Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC*
2.75⭐️ This was ok. The writing I wasn’t a fan of, constantly using the words “bitch, fuck, hoe, girl bye, sis” just felt out of place in this kind of book and quite juvenile.
It took a while to get into what was going on fully but once it did it was very fast paced and entertaining. But as things got revealed I was getting more and more confused. There was so many characters and different plot lines all mixed in to one and I was kind of lost.
There was a lot of twists but felt kind of far fetched. I think it’s quite similar to how freida McFadden writes so if you like silly far fetched thrillers you’ll like this. It was an easy and fast paced read and I did find myself wanting to know what was going to happen next.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
Ok Kendall and I are both now having our worst week as I just deleted my whole review. So yeah there is that. Kendall is the “perfect girl” at least publically. Mac is also the “perfect girl according to Instagram. But she definitely doesn’t have it all together. This was an easy read. I am an avid mystery girl so I had it all figured out about halfway through. Loads and loads of crazy happenings I’ll keep you reading until the end. A solid 3.25/5 for me. I received a ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.
Big thanks to NetGalley, Angela Henry, and Storm publishing for the ARC copy and chance to give my honest review!
Kendall Good finds herself in a downward spiral with a streak of really bad luck. Just when things can't get any worse, Kendall is given an offer that seems like it will turn her life - or at least her semester - around! This sets off a string of lies, death, and forgotten past! Twist after twist and so much deceit!
I loved this storyline but I did not like how the chapters bounced from 1st person to 3rd person narration. No chapter titles was a downfall also with this flip flopping. Regardless a gripping plot and I would be interested in reading more from this author!
A twisty and quick read with a good dose of family drama. The story is told from two different POVs, Kendall Good and Mackenzie Burk. They are two distinctive characters who attend the same school and have an interesting past. I'd place this one in the popcorn thriller category with a similar type of plot construction that you get in a Freida McFadden book. If you're looking for a fun read that isn't too noir, then this is the right thriller for you.
This was my second Angela Henry book and it was just as good as the first one. It was chock full of twists and turns. Basically the last quarter of the book. Some of the twists I could predict but the last one I definitely could not. There were parts that I wasn't fully loving it but overall I enjoyed the book! If you love a twisty mystery book this is for you!
Thank you Storm Publishing and Angela Henry for this read.
I thought the book started so strong and I binged this book in 2 sittings. It was fast paced, mysterious and had some great twists along the way.
Some of the dialogue I felt a little forced / over the top.
This book is perfect as a popcorn thriller for lovers that want a fast paced read that they won't be able to help themselves but the binge in 1 or 2 sittings!
Kendall went from having a boyfriend of three years, a fellowship to complete a graduate degree, and a great friend and support system to being homeless, broke, and alone in a matter of a few hours. Pondering her lack of options, she's approached by a famous influencer that attends her college with an opportunity. A very shady opportunity that will lead to expulsion at minimum if she's caught. What is she supposed to do? And what happens when someone else finds out and starts to blackmail her with a very odd list of demands?
This was pretty good for a YA thriller, but there is just SO much going on. There are multiple POVs in this book, but you're given locations as to where the character is when they're "speaking," rather than a name, and it causes the opening chapters to be very confusing until you get almost half way into the book. From there, there is layer after layer added to the story to the point it's a little absurd. How many ridiculous situations can one person end up in via coincidence in the span of a few days? Everything gets resolved in rapid succession which makes it feel rushed and extra insane.
A few of the "twists" were really predictable, but I can say I didn't expect the final one! Even though the resolution at the end of it had me rolling my eyes a little and wanting more. And some of the dialogue was really cringy--if I had to read "sis" one more time I was going to roll my eyes back into my head until they exploded.
BUT I was definitely hooked and read this in one sitting! It's a fast paced and quick read without a lot of filler, and I think it's a great example of a YA Thriller. This is definitely a must read for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and One of Us is Lying!
Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of this one!
This book fulfills Ohio in a self reading challenge of a book taking place in every US State or territory (13/56).
"Her Pretty Lies" starts as a slow burn, with the first half of the book setting the stage for the drama and suspense that follows. The initial pacing may feel sluggish to some readers, but around the 40% mark, the plot kicks into high gear, and the story becomes a whirlwind of tension and fast-paced action.
Kendall, the protagonist, is a well-crafted character. Her struggles and determination to navigate her string of bad luck make her relatable and engaging. Readers will find themselves rooting for her as she tries to unravel the mystery and clear her name. Kendall's narrative is compelling and keeps the reader invested in her journey.
Mackenzie's character, on the other hand, is less fleshed out, which makes it challenging to connect with her side of the story. This lack of depth in Mackenzie's storyline is a minor drawback, but it doesn't significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the book.
Despite these minor issues, "Her Pretty Lies" excels in creating an atmosphere of doubt and suspicion. The twists and turns, although somewhat predictable, are executed well enough to keep readers guessing until the end. The climax and resolution, while not groundbreaking, provide a satisfying conclusion to the story.
In summary, "Her Pretty Lies" by Angela Henry is a gripping psychological thriller that, despite its flaws, manages to deliver an engaging and suspenseful reading experience. Kendall's character shines, and the story's latter half makes up for the slower start. It's a quick read that many readers will find enjoyable, especially those who appreciate a good mystery with a strong female lead. While it may not be a perfect thriller, it's certainly worth a read for fans of the genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for a free copy of this ARC. This is my honest review.
This story starts off with a bang. There are plenty of twists and reveals. It is fast paced, and I liked it up until the final fourth of the book. Up until then I was completely immersed in the story, and although I figured out some of the twists, there were a few I didn’t see coming.
The last fourth of the book seemed frenetic! There were so many reveals and twists, and not all of them made sense. My head was spinning, and some of my engagement in the story declined. I really didn’t like many characters, and every single one- I’m not kidding- every character had a secret. So trying to keep up with all of that, and stay focused on the plot began to drain me.
I did enjoy most of the book, and will definitely read another to see if the pacing and reveals level out!