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Bliss
Sophia Marcus, 21, has already mapped out every aspect of her glamorous life as a Hollywood actor on her vision board. But her life right now in Toronto is anything but exciting. Attending fruitless auditions during the day and working at a douche-y club at night, Sophia is starting to feel like she's going nowhere...slowly.
Demi Michaels, Sophia's best friend, didn't go to college after high school. Short of ideas for her own future, she puts her energy into building the perfect relationship with an older man. And when that relationship crashes and burns, Demi is left to pick up the pieces.
Sophia's friend (and Demi's frenemy) Leandra Hunting doesn't give a crap about hard work or a loving relationship. She has other plans for her future. After college graduation, Leandra sets out to travel the world in the yachts, planes and limos of ridiculously wealthy men. Will any of them be able to show her what love really means--if she can take off her Chanel sunglasses long enough to see it?
Set in the exotic, intoxicating worlds of Hollywood, Thailand, and London, Bliss paints a relatable portrait of life in your early twenties with equal parts optimism and fear, hope and disappointment, expectation and reality. It's the Age of Uncertainty when you can count on nothing, but, if you're lucky enough to have one truly great friend, you can survive just about anything.
Demi Michaels, Sophia's best friend, didn't go to college after high school. Short of ideas for her own future, she puts her energy into building the perfect relationship with an older man. And when that relationship crashes and burns, Demi is left to pick up the pieces.
Sophia's friend (and Demi's frenemy) Leandra Hunting doesn't give a crap about hard work or a loving relationship. She has other plans for her future. After college graduation, Leandra sets out to travel the world in the yachts, planes and limos of ridiculously wealthy men. Will any of them be able to show her what love really means--if she can take off her Chanel sunglasses long enough to see it?
Set in the exotic, intoxicating worlds of Hollywood, Thailand, and London, Bliss paints a relatable portrait of life in your early twenties with equal parts optimism and fear, hope and disappointment, expectation and reality. It's the Age of Uncertainty when you can count on nothing, but, if you're lucky enough to have one truly great friend, you can survive just about anything.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
106 people are currently reading
3382 people want to read
About the author
Shay Mitchell
2 books248 followersSHAY MITCHELL, 28, is a Canadian actress and star of the ABC family drama Pretty Little Liars. In addition to acting and running her lifestyle blog amoreandvita.com, Shay works with the Free the Children Foundation, an organization that fights exploitation of children around the world; The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization, and the NOH8 Campaign for marriage and gender equality.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
September 2, 2015
Omg I won this in the goodreads giveaways. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET IT!!! :
I really wanted to like this, but I couldn't even finish it. I love PLL and Shay Mitchell, but come on! Bliss is Barbie bimbo garbage! The friends weren't even together in the same place, two of them aren't even friends anymore, the girls are all brainless, and the plot is excruciatingly simple and dull. I was hoping for a cool friendship journey novel set in Hollywood or maybe with some traveling too, but that's not what I got. Sorry, but it's a no from me. I have to DNF it now before I lose any more brain cells trying to read this.
I really wanted to like this, but I couldn't even finish it. I love PLL and Shay Mitchell, but come on! Bliss is Barbie bimbo garbage! The friends weren't even together in the same place, two of them aren't even friends anymore, the girls are all brainless, and the plot is excruciatingly simple and dull. I was hoping for a cool friendship journey novel set in Hollywood or maybe with some traveling too, but that's not what I got. Sorry, but it's a no from me. I have to DNF it now before I lose any more brain cells trying to read this.
October 17, 2023
I felt a little bit disapointed with this book.
The characters were mehh and I completely hated Leandra's character.
The characters were mehh and I completely hated Leandra's character.
October 28, 2015
This is, quite literally, one of the worst books I have read. Apart from being badly written, the characters are disgustingly superficial and entitled. It actually made me angry, and I'd much rather have read the instruction manual of a hairdryer than this. It's also "books" (if that's what we're going to call it) like this that perpetuate the image of women being uni-dimensional and shallow.
September 3, 2015
I received this book as an advanced release copy from a Goodreads giveaway.
I'm giving this 4 stars for being really good at doing a really good job of what it was trying to do. This is a fun, light book. I read a few heavy books in a row and I really appreciated the easy going storyline here.
Three girls were best friends in highschool, four years later they have spilt up to some degree. Sophia wants to be an actress, her best friends are Demi and Leandra.
Leandra is basically trying to find the perfect guy to make her a trophy wife. She has lofty dreams of wealth and not many dreams of love.
Demi wants to find her dream job. But her life is in major turmoil right now.
Sophia is the most likable character, Demi is likable most of the time but hard to handle at others, and then there's Leandra that is just not that nice of a girl.
This book reminds me of Lauren Conrad's LA Candy books and it's more like what I expected from Candace Bushnell's Killing Monica. Light and fun.
This would be a great beach book, a great lazy weekend book and it's perfect for when you want something light hearted to read.
I'm giving this 4 stars for being really good at doing a really good job of what it was trying to do. This is a fun, light book. I read a few heavy books in a row and I really appreciated the easy going storyline here.
Three girls were best friends in highschool, four years later they have spilt up to some degree. Sophia wants to be an actress, her best friends are Demi and Leandra.
Leandra is basically trying to find the perfect guy to make her a trophy wife. She has lofty dreams of wealth and not many dreams of love.
Demi wants to find her dream job. But her life is in major turmoil right now.
Sophia is the most likable character, Demi is likable most of the time but hard to handle at others, and then there's Leandra that is just not that nice of a girl.
This book reminds me of Lauren Conrad's LA Candy books and it's more like what I expected from Candace Bushnell's Killing Monica. Light and fun.
This would be a great beach book, a great lazy weekend book and it's perfect for when you want something light hearted to read.
June 26, 2016
3.5 stars but i rounded it up. This book centers around 3 girls, Sophia , Demi and Leandra . The girls are spoiled and privileged . This is an easy read, the book caught my eye because of Shay Mitchell's name as the author. The book reminds me of a Girl esque type of book . The book describes everyone as stunning , which seems unrealistic but it caught my attention throughout the story. Leandra's character annoyed me because she was so vapid and materialistic. She has no aspirations for herself. Sophia was most relatable because she seemed hard working and respected herself . Demi also annoyed me because she kept getting herself into big trouble. I liked the recipes that were featured at the end of each chapter.
March 2, 2017
I absolutely could not put this book down! I am a huge fan of Shay Mitchell, as Pretty Little Liars is my favorite TV show, and she delivered with her first fiction novel. If you enjoy stories of friendship, love and travel, then this is the book for you. It can get a little difficult to keep up with the characters whereabouts without getting them confused, but is otherwise an easy read.
December 16, 2020
Meh, I really wanted to enjoy this but unfortunately I just didn't care..
November 9, 2015
*I received this book through Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review. *
As much as I love Shay Mitchell from seeing her in PLL, this book is horrible. I tried so hard to at least get through the first hundred pages to see if it got any better, and I had to stop at page 82. I can't even finish the book.
Why do I not love thee? Let me count the ways...
First, the characters. Each of the three protagonists are described to the reader in the least helpful manner possible. All three girls are described as being so unbelievably beautiful that no guy can resist any of their looks. Note, I say looks because absolutely nothing of these girls' personalities are described beyond what unrealistically rich husband they would each like to end up with. Not to mention, as you continue to get to know these characters as the story unfolds (which I never really figured out what the story was supposed to be), you realize none of them are likable, relatable, or even remotely normal seeming. Each of these girls read like pretentious, vapid, shells of human beings with perfect doll-like bodies, faces, and hair.
Second, the descriptive language. Every time one of the girls' outfits is described it's in terms of what designer they are wearing for each article of clothing. Don't get me wrong a few designer name drops here and there to help with inferences regarding a character's means is appropriate. However after the fifth American Apparel drop it's gotten old and distracting. Telling me a dress is a Diane Von Furstenberg is not any different than a Target dress in my head if all the description is is a "Diane Von Furstenberg black dress".
Third, the grammatical errors. Let me say first this book was an ARC, and I typically overlook the their/they're/there type grammatical errors in ARCs. However, when I can't even tell what you were trying to say because it's so bad, that's when it becomes increasingly difficult to stay engaged. For example, one sentence from the novel reads, "They wound down the driveway toward the house, a few party stranglers smoked or yelled on their phones outside." Uh...party stranglers? What kind of party is this? Why is she not running the other direction immediately? Is Hollywood really that different? I can only assume the word they were looking for was stragglers, except that still doesn't really fit, so yeah. That was pretty much the last straw.
This book had zero substance and is definitely not an "enjoyable light read." It would take way too much effort to enjoy.
As much as I love Shay Mitchell from seeing her in PLL, this book is horrible. I tried so hard to at least get through the first hundred pages to see if it got any better, and I had to stop at page 82. I can't even finish the book.
Why do I not love thee? Let me count the ways...
First, the characters. Each of the three protagonists are described to the reader in the least helpful manner possible. All three girls are described as being so unbelievably beautiful that no guy can resist any of their looks. Note, I say looks because absolutely nothing of these girls' personalities are described beyond what unrealistically rich husband they would each like to end up with. Not to mention, as you continue to get to know these characters as the story unfolds (which I never really figured out what the story was supposed to be), you realize none of them are likable, relatable, or even remotely normal seeming. Each of these girls read like pretentious, vapid, shells of human beings with perfect doll-like bodies, faces, and hair.
Second, the descriptive language. Every time one of the girls' outfits is described it's in terms of what designer they are wearing for each article of clothing. Don't get me wrong a few designer name drops here and there to help with inferences regarding a character's means is appropriate. However after the fifth American Apparel drop it's gotten old and distracting. Telling me a dress is a Diane Von Furstenberg is not any different than a Target dress in my head if all the description is is a "Diane Von Furstenberg black dress".
Third, the grammatical errors. Let me say first this book was an ARC, and I typically overlook the their/they're/there type grammatical errors in ARCs. However, when I can't even tell what you were trying to say because it's so bad, that's when it becomes increasingly difficult to stay engaged. For example, one sentence from the novel reads, "They wound down the driveway toward the house, a few party stranglers smoked or yelled on their phones outside." Uh...party stranglers? What kind of party is this? Why is she not running the other direction immediately? Is Hollywood really that different? I can only assume the word they were looking for was stragglers, except that still doesn't really fit, so yeah. That was pretty much the last straw.
This book had zero substance and is definitely not an "enjoyable light read." It would take way too much effort to enjoy.
March 2, 2017
So this book is not literature. it's just a story that will lift your spirits. a light read that'll give you some hope. the characters are very relatable and the stort is very light. the language is simple. i enjoyed reading it!
dnf
February 25, 2017I was ready to quit by the end of the epilogue but I stuck it out until I finished the first chapter. I don't like the characters and the writing was horrible. To me it sounds fake and forced. No thanks.
January 9, 2016
Cute book. Couldn't put it down once I started. My favorite character was Demi. The story was well written and I liked how it changed to each character's perspective every chapter.
June 19, 2022
After picking up a few different books and not making it past the first chapter, I decided to pick up something fun, mindless and easy to read, and Bliss definitely fit the bill!
Bliss follows 3 very different best friends, Demi, Sophia and Leandra, as they each go in search of their own Bliss in life.
There was "wtf?" moments, and too many attractive characters (I guess once we get to LA, it makes sense?), but over all this book told a very important message of how you are in control of finding your own happiness in life.
We look at break-ups, unsuccess in career, possible date-rape (it never got explained) and changing who we are to fit into someone else's perspective of us.
The annoying part for me, we never got to find out what happened to Demi, which really bugs me (if you read the book, you will know what I am referring to).
Otherwise, it was a book that served its purpose for me, in an enjoyable way, and I really enjoyed the motivational quotes and Demi's recipes scattered throughout to break up the chapters between the different characters POV.
Bliss follows 3 very different best friends, Demi, Sophia and Leandra, as they each go in search of their own Bliss in life.
There was "wtf?" moments, and too many attractive characters (I guess once we get to LA, it makes sense?), but over all this book told a very important message of how you are in control of finding your own happiness in life.
We look at break-ups, unsuccess in career, possible date-rape (it never got explained) and changing who we are to fit into someone else's perspective of us.
The annoying part for me, we never got to find out what happened to Demi, which really bugs me (if you read the book, you will know what I am referring to).
Otherwise, it was a book that served its purpose for me, in an enjoyable way, and I really enjoyed the motivational quotes and Demi's recipes scattered throughout to break up the chapters between the different characters POV.
May 25, 2019
I was really excited to read this book, since I am a fan of the Pretty Little Liars Show and Shay Mitchell.
For the most part, I really loved it. There was a depth and a history to the characters that I enjoyed. I liked reading about the girls' backstories and how their friendship had evolved over the years. The thing I didn't like as much was the constant name brand listings in the descriptions. For me personally, it's enough to describe an outfit without saying where it was purchased.
I also did not like Leandra's character. She's quite abrasive to me...I would have loved to have seen some growth or change on her part, but I didn't. I also feel like the story is not quite finished. I hope the girls have plans to expand upon this world and maybe give us a better ending.
For the most part, I really loved it. There was a depth and a history to the characters that I enjoyed. I liked reading about the girls' backstories and how their friendship had evolved over the years. The thing I didn't like as much was the constant name brand listings in the descriptions. For me personally, it's enough to describe an outfit without saying where it was purchased.
I also did not like Leandra's character. She's quite abrasive to me...I would have loved to have seen some growth or change on her part, but I didn't. I also feel like the story is not quite finished. I hope the girls have plans to expand upon this world and maybe give us a better ending.
October 17, 2015
Once you get past the materialistic façade, this book actually turns out to be a good read. There are some redeeming storylines about relationships with friends, boyfriends, and family that most girls can relate to. And for a bonus there are even recipes incorporated into the book.
*I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.*
*I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.*
November 6, 2015
This wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I love Shay and I love Pretty Little Liars! I really enjoyed this book! Definitely seeing this as the perfect vacation book or perfect beach read. Loved how she and Michaela added a note about being under 18 and to talk to their parents about certain things written in this book! I really recommend this book!
December 20, 2015
Great story and characters, except for Leandra. I know everyone has that 1 friend and people have their own way of coping but jeeze I didn't really enjoy reading about her. Other than her, I enjoyed reading this book. I won this book from a GoodReads First Reads giveaway.
October 10, 2016
This book was really good, I highly recommend it
October 14, 2018
Reviewed by Lori
Book provided by the publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
If the reader enjoys chick lit, then this book will be the perfect fit. This book reminds me almost of reality television almost with some drama, and friends not liking each other anymore because they got into an argument. This book is chock full of drama, and angst, but in a funny entertaining way. Angst seems to go hand in hand with being young and in the early twenties. I remember so well.
Despite me not being in my early twenties anymore, I found myself empathizing with them and I really understood where they were coming from since I’m a woman too and at one point, I was a twenty something. I was really afraid I wouldn’t be able to connect with the characters as I was older, but luckily, I was wrong. That always makes me happy.
This book is a romance as well because the characters are engaging in trying to find who they want to be with.
The authors are well aware of the limelight because of their work, and have captured what it’s like trying to get into acting, how hard it is, how much time and commitment, and hard work it takes to even get an audition, never mind actually getting the part.
I love that the authors talked about The Law of Attraction, and Vision Boards. I’ve been studying the LOA for about five years now and I love it.
Basically, these gals know what they want, they’re making a plan to get it, and they are going to not let anything stand in their way. They are trying to find their bliss and I think that that’s great. I’m still looking for my bliss too.
This book is funny and entertaining and I really hope that the reader enjoys this book. Take a chance and give this book a chance.
Book provided by the publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
If the reader enjoys chick lit, then this book will be the perfect fit. This book reminds me almost of reality television almost with some drama, and friends not liking each other anymore because they got into an argument. This book is chock full of drama, and angst, but in a funny entertaining way. Angst seems to go hand in hand with being young and in the early twenties. I remember so well.
Despite me not being in my early twenties anymore, I found myself empathizing with them and I really understood where they were coming from since I’m a woman too and at one point, I was a twenty something. I was really afraid I wouldn’t be able to connect with the characters as I was older, but luckily, I was wrong. That always makes me happy.
This book is a romance as well because the characters are engaging in trying to find who they want to be with.
The authors are well aware of the limelight because of their work, and have captured what it’s like trying to get into acting, how hard it is, how much time and commitment, and hard work it takes to even get an audition, never mind actually getting the part.
I love that the authors talked about The Law of Attraction, and Vision Boards. I’ve been studying the LOA for about five years now and I love it.
Basically, these gals know what they want, they’re making a plan to get it, and they are going to not let anything stand in their way. They are trying to find their bliss and I think that that’s great. I’m still looking for my bliss too.
This book is funny and entertaining and I really hope that the reader enjoys this book. Take a chance and give this book a chance.
July 12, 2025
Загалом люблю я книги, написані зарубіжними зірками. Особливо, якщо авторства улюблених актора або акторки, краша дитинства чи цікавої особистості у світі шоу бізу.
Шей Мітчелл далека від назви "улюблена" акторка, але поки що вона мені подобається в будь-якій ролі. Коли дізналася про книгу, написану у співавторстві з , то я боялася, що книга буде схожа на пробу пера Гіларі Дафф. Але вийшло по-іншому, з нудної історії про пошук себе молодими дівчатами в цікавий погляд на вибір. Загальний та щоденний.
Точніше, різні історії від трьох дівчат, які обирають, ким хочуть бути в житті, роботі та стосунках. Як вони змінюються під тиском кожної з цих сфер.
Здавалося б, легковажне чтиво, але воно може змусити вас замислитися над власними проблемами і чи правильний вибір ви зробили свого часу. Не буду стверджувати, що це геніально, просто я отримала більше, ніж очікувала.
Шей Мітчелл далека від назви "улюблена" акторка, але поки що вона мені подобається в будь-якій ролі. Коли дізналася про книгу, написану у співавторстві з , то я боялася, що книга буде схожа на пробу пера Гіларі Дафф. Але вийшло по-іншому, з нудної історії про пошук себе молодими дівчатами в цікавий погляд на вибір. Загальний та щоденний.
Точніше, різні історії від трьох дівчат, які обирають, ким хочуть бути в житті, роботі та стосунках. Як вони змінюються під тиском кожної з цих сфер.
Здавалося б, легковажне чтиво, але воно може змусити вас замислитися над власними проблемами і чи правильний вибір ви зробили свого часу. Не буду стверджувати, що це геніально, просто я отримала більше, ніж очікувала.
January 16, 2022
I could only make it to page 50, after trying to get into it three times. I really wanted to like the book, because I felt like it would hold a great message and would be a really fun moment. But it was not. Outside from Sophia, the characters are either bland or despicable. Leandra's actions and reactions (especially during her trip to Thailand) made me uncomfortable as hell. Tried to read it once five years ago and it didn't do it for me already, maybe I'll try again in five years. But until then, it shall go back on the shelf and not be opened again. Sorry!!
December 26, 2017
drie meiden alle drie 21 en ooit waren ze beste vriendinnen nu kunnen twee elkaar niet uitstaan en ieders leven hun eigen leven met hun eigen problemen. Leandra mocht ik niet echt en dat bleef het hele boek door, vond haar erg oppervlakkig en een kreng. de andere twee dames mocht ik meer. het boek las erg makkelijk weg en zat vol met drama. heb er wel van genoten. was geen fantastisch boek maar wel een vermakelijk boek.
September 6, 2022
I was really excited for this because Shay Mitchell is the author. But unfortunately, it fell short for me. Yes, I understand this isn’t fine literature and this was Mitchell’s first book and all, but it took me almost a month to finish this, and I’m an avid reader. This was okay, something I’d buy to have, but nothing I’d ever read again. I might recommend this for people looking for a very simple, straightforward book, but that’s about it. I really really wish I liked this more, but sadly I don’t.
August 27, 2025
The characters at the beginning had very distinct personalities, but by the middle it felt like the writers got confused with who was who and wrote them all as the same entitled, self-absorbed cliche millennial.
Saw everyone’s reviews that these are the worst characters ever. I hoped they would improve. They didn’t.
Saw everyone’s reviews that these are the worst characters ever. I hoped they would improve. They didn’t.
Read
June 22, 2020This book was good but not one to rave about. I found some of the content a bit mature. A little disappointed
November 7, 2022
This was a fun read. It's about 3 best friends who made a promise to each other to find their own Bliss after high school and they did just that.
January 2, 2023
[3.5 stars] gets an extra .5 star bc this book is the reason I met her <3
May 28, 2016
I thought this book would be a lot better than it was sadly. It was very fast paced which I liked although with the 3 points of view of Sophia, Leandra and Demi it was hard to keep track of who's life you were following and hard to get a sense of time scale from the novel. I couldn't tell if days, weeks or months had passed between each chapter which was annoying.
I don't like reading books where I don't like the main characters and I really didn't like Leandra - she basically is a gold digger who sleeps with loads of different men from around the world so she can get free stuff and she thinks she is better than everyone else because she has money. I don't know if her character was written like this on purpose so the reader didn't like her but she was just an annoying, obnoxious character and she wasn't a very good friend to Sophia or Demi.
I preferred Sophia's character. A wannabe actress who finally gets a break and gets a part on a new tv show. I couldn't help but realise how similar this character probably is to Shay Mitchell (one of the authors) and how Sophia's life probably represented her own life when she started out as an actress which was fine but made me feel like the character was less creative and fiction and that it was just really Shay writing about herself but embellishing it a bit.
Demi was also a decent character, it was very obvious from the start of the novel that she was going to find her boyfriend cheating which was a bit annoying but she was a fun character. I liked how she coped with the different situations life through at her - she seemed the most real and down to earth character out of the 3 girls. I found the part where she went to live in an elderly people's flat complex very entertaining but this part of the novel was quite brief.
Being English I found the part when Leandra went to London (with her boy toy at the time Oliver) to be quite insulting. Even though I am not from London this part of the novel made English people seem stuck up and that all we do is make snobby nick names for one other, drink tea and play polo - which I assure you could not be more wrong - I almost stopped reading during this part of the novel as I was so annoyed at how English people were being portrayed. The authors would have greatly benefitted from some advice on this section from an English person as some of the language used in dialogue was not typical of an English person and was more American - although this could have been to a suit the larger audience.
Eg "flat complex" where English people usually say "block of flats" - but this was only a minor issue.
Also the novel ended without much about Demi who was seeing a married man, this part of the novel didn't get addressed at the end so now readers have no idea whether she stayed with him or not??
Actually very disappointed with this book as I had high hopes for it. Lots of potential but it just didn't hit the mark. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if Leandra just didn't exist as a character! Couldn't bring myself to give it more than 2 stars.
I don't like reading books where I don't like the main characters and I really didn't like Leandra - she basically is a gold digger who sleeps with loads of different men from around the world so she can get free stuff and she thinks she is better than everyone else because she has money. I don't know if her character was written like this on purpose so the reader didn't like her but she was just an annoying, obnoxious character and she wasn't a very good friend to Sophia or Demi.
I preferred Sophia's character. A wannabe actress who finally gets a break and gets a part on a new tv show. I couldn't help but realise how similar this character probably is to Shay Mitchell (one of the authors) and how Sophia's life probably represented her own life when she started out as an actress which was fine but made me feel like the character was less creative and fiction and that it was just really Shay writing about herself but embellishing it a bit.
Demi was also a decent character, it was very obvious from the start of the novel that she was going to find her boyfriend cheating which was a bit annoying but she was a fun character. I liked how she coped with the different situations life through at her - she seemed the most real and down to earth character out of the 3 girls. I found the part where she went to live in an elderly people's flat complex very entertaining but this part of the novel was quite brief.
Being English I found the part when Leandra went to London (with her boy toy at the time Oliver) to be quite insulting. Even though I am not from London this part of the novel made English people seem stuck up and that all we do is make snobby nick names for one other, drink tea and play polo - which I assure you could not be more wrong - I almost stopped reading during this part of the novel as I was so annoyed at how English people were being portrayed. The authors would have greatly benefitted from some advice on this section from an English person as some of the language used in dialogue was not typical of an English person and was more American - although this could have been to a suit the larger audience.
Eg "flat complex" where English people usually say "block of flats" - but this was only a minor issue.
Also the novel ended without much about Demi who was seeing a married man, this part of the novel didn't get addressed at the end so now readers have no idea whether she stayed with him or not??
Actually very disappointed with this book as I had high hopes for it. Lots of potential but it just didn't hit the mark. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if Leandra just didn't exist as a character! Couldn't bring myself to give it more than 2 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2016
Note: I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Oh boy.
I really wanted to like this. Really, I did. I had been looking forward to some fluff reading and was hoping that this would be a nice and easy read with fun and relatable characters. This was not the experience I got. I don't really know much about Shay Mitchell, aside from the fact that she's an actress on Pretty Little Liars, so while I was leery of reading a book by an actress (I've been burned before!), I decided to give her a chance.
The book bills itself as a "relatable" story. I sincerely hope no young girl reads this and expects life in her early 20s to be like this. After graduating college, Leandra is given plane tickets and a bunch of money to go to Thailand to have some fun. She extends this into a worldwide trip, jumping from rich guy to rich guy and leeching off of their money. Sophia struggles briefly to get acting jobs before landing a leading role on a primetime show on a major network and picks up and leaves for LA to live her dream. And Demi spends half of the book drunk and making poor decisions, working at her job whenever she feels like it and screwing over her boss. She eventually cleans up her act after her dad steps in post-DUI, moves to LA with Sophia, lands a job launching a new restaurant, and shacking up with her married boss. TOTALLY RELATABLE.
And all of the girls are just terrible people. I didn't like a single character in the story and at points found myself rolling my eyes so hard. There are just no redeemable characters to make you care about the story and the three leads in particular are just...awful.
I felt like this book needed another once over by an editor to correct some bits. Aside from a few grammatical mistakes (which for an ARC is understandable), there were several awkward phrases or sentences that made me sigh heavily. Example- at one point, one of the characters says she has a "chair fetish." I assume they meant a chair obsession or interest. Yikes. And the constant brand name dropping made my head hurt. I really don't care what type of shirt or jeans a character is wearing. A few name drops here and there are fine and can really help set the scene (like if a character wears Louboutins or has a Celine bag). But an article of clothing could not be mentioned without a brand attached to it and it was frankly annoying. How these girls could afford the clothes they were wearing is beyond me...
I did not like this book and I think it's not a good sign that I frequently wanted to stop reading. Maybe this is relatable to someone out there that would love this book, maybe I'm the wrong demographic for this book. This just wasn't the book for me.
Oh boy.
I really wanted to like this. Really, I did. I had been looking forward to some fluff reading and was hoping that this would be a nice and easy read with fun and relatable characters. This was not the experience I got. I don't really know much about Shay Mitchell, aside from the fact that she's an actress on Pretty Little Liars, so while I was leery of reading a book by an actress (I've been burned before!), I decided to give her a chance.
The book bills itself as a "relatable" story. I sincerely hope no young girl reads this and expects life in her early 20s to be like this. After graduating college, Leandra is given plane tickets and a bunch of money to go to Thailand to have some fun. She extends this into a worldwide trip, jumping from rich guy to rich guy and leeching off of their money. Sophia struggles briefly to get acting jobs before landing a leading role on a primetime show on a major network and picks up and leaves for LA to live her dream. And Demi spends half of the book drunk and making poor decisions, working at her job whenever she feels like it and screwing over her boss. She eventually cleans up her act after her dad steps in post-DUI, moves to LA with Sophia, lands a job launching a new restaurant, and shacking up with her married boss. TOTALLY RELATABLE.
And all of the girls are just terrible people. I didn't like a single character in the story and at points found myself rolling my eyes so hard. There are just no redeemable characters to make you care about the story and the three leads in particular are just...awful.
I felt like this book needed another once over by an editor to correct some bits. Aside from a few grammatical mistakes (which for an ARC is understandable), there were several awkward phrases or sentences that made me sigh heavily. Example- at one point, one of the characters says she has a "chair fetish." I assume they meant a chair obsession or interest. Yikes. And the constant brand name dropping made my head hurt. I really don't care what type of shirt or jeans a character is wearing. A few name drops here and there are fine and can really help set the scene (like if a character wears Louboutins or has a Celine bag). But an article of clothing could not be mentioned without a brand attached to it and it was frankly annoying. How these girls could afford the clothes they were wearing is beyond me...
I did not like this book and I think it's not a good sign that I frequently wanted to stop reading. Maybe this is relatable to someone out there that would love this book, maybe I'm the wrong demographic for this book. This just wasn't the book for me.
July 9, 2016
Now, I love my Pretty Little Liars, both the books and the show, its creator, Sara Shepard, and Shay Mitchell, who plays Emily Fields and one of the co-authors of this "novel." Bliss reminded me a lot of Shepard. Mitchell and Michaela Blaney definitely were channeling her, in my opinion. However, the writing was just a cheap facsimile of hers.
In Bliss, there are three main characters each with their own POVs. There's Demi, the more passive and self-destructive of the three. Sophia, exotic looking and the positive dreamer, and Leandra, one of the most horrible characters in Literature. Now, when they were 17, they were the best of friends. Flash forward 4 years later, only two are.
Demi breaks up with a wealthy serial cheater, circles the drain getting arrested for a DUI, and ends up living in an retirement community. Sophia, after working in a degrading job, finally catches her big break, but a rival, one night, may have had a hand in her getting drugged and almost raped.
Leandra, literally dumps one very rich man after another until she falls in love with a pornographer. Don't worry, each of these characters end up with their happy endings.
Bliss was very hard to read. It was a fast read when I concentrated but it took a lot of me. Let me start of with the few positives:
1. The cover is pink and very pretty.
2. I liked the diversity that Mitchell and Blaney had with their characters, Canadian multi-racial, and the different locales.
3. The quotes before every chapter.
Here's the bad:
1. The writing. As I previously mentioned, the writing tried to echo Sara Shepard's writing but failed spectacularly.
2. The characters and characterization. Demi, Sophia, and Leandra are pretty horrible characters, with Sophia being the least horrible and more tolerable of the trio. They were boring and I couldn't relate to them all. I couldn't feel any sympathy for them. Each chapter was from their POVs and I never got a real true sense of them at all.
Leandra was one of the most, selfish, vapid, deplorable things ever written and I believe she was supposed to be the comic relief.
The most surprising thing about Bliss was the language. Wow, was it saucy! I know Mitchell and Blaney had put that disclaimer beforehand but wow. A lot of F bombs dropped. Wow.
I couldn't believe how bad Bliss was. I don't know why but I expected more from Shay Mitchell. I guess that's because of too many years of watching Pretty Little Liars. I don't recommend this to anyone.
In Bliss, there are three main characters each with their own POVs. There's Demi, the more passive and self-destructive of the three. Sophia, exotic looking and the positive dreamer, and Leandra, one of the most horrible characters in Literature. Now, when they were 17, they were the best of friends. Flash forward 4 years later, only two are.
Demi breaks up with a wealthy serial cheater, circles the drain getting arrested for a DUI, and ends up living in an retirement community. Sophia, after working in a degrading job, finally catches her big break, but a rival, one night, may have had a hand in her getting drugged and almost raped.
Leandra, literally dumps one very rich man after another until she falls in love with a pornographer. Don't worry, each of these characters end up with their happy endings.
Bliss was very hard to read. It was a fast read when I concentrated but it took a lot of me. Let me start of with the few positives:
1. The cover is pink and very pretty.
2. I liked the diversity that Mitchell and Blaney had with their characters, Canadian multi-racial, and the different locales.
3. The quotes before every chapter.
Here's the bad:
1. The writing. As I previously mentioned, the writing tried to echo Sara Shepard's writing but failed spectacularly.
2. The characters and characterization. Demi, Sophia, and Leandra are pretty horrible characters, with Sophia being the least horrible and more tolerable of the trio. They were boring and I couldn't relate to them all. I couldn't feel any sympathy for them. Each chapter was from their POVs and I never got a real true sense of them at all.
Leandra was one of the most, selfish, vapid, deplorable things ever written and I believe she was supposed to be the comic relief.
The most surprising thing about Bliss was the language. Wow, was it saucy! I know Mitchell and Blaney had put that disclaimer beforehand but wow. A lot of F bombs dropped. Wow.
I couldn't believe how bad Bliss was. I don't know why but I expected more from Shay Mitchell. I guess that's because of too many years of watching Pretty Little Liars. I don't recommend this to anyone.
December 30, 2015
2.5 out of 5 stars. Spoilers ahead.
Alright. Just finished this and i am super sorry to say that it wasn't as good as i hoped it would be. I only read this because i am a fan of Shay Mitchell and i used to watch Pretty Little Liars religiously (read all 16 books too). Its blatantly clear that the character of Sophia is based off of Shay herself. But its like ok, if this character is based off of you, who were your friends back in the day and why the hell did you hang out with people that kept making one bad decision after another without intervening and doing something about it?! Leandra (or the person shes based off of) is a codependent bimbo that jumps from one rich guy to the next to solidify confidence in herself and to cover up the loneliness she feels in losing her sister to cancer. I really thought she would get it through her head that what she was doing to herself was clearly unhealthy and she would see the light by the end of the book, but sadly that did not happen. I pray whoever this chick is, she gets some serious therapy. She obviously needs help! And Demi (or the person shes based off of) is so completely heartbroken about her loser of a boyfriend cheating on her (duh, cuz hes a douche) that she goes into an alcoholic binge frenzy for 3 months and has to get arrested in order for her to see thats shes messing up her life. But even after that, she was still so hung up on the asshole ex, that she has sex with him to "empower herself and be liberated". And then she starts sleeping with her new boss. Who may or may not be married. But its ok to still sleep with him cuz she swears she won't fall in love with him. Its never even addressed that he may or may not have a wife! Really?! Are you freaking kidding me?! I wanted to smack her upside the head so bad that it gave me migrains. The only person that turned out well was Sophia but since she was based off of one of the authors so of course, she came out on top. I did not like the whole "possibly roofied and raped" scenario. That was too much for me. If there is a sequel to this book, i will not be reading it. Shay Mitchell i still love you and i hope you write more books in the future but don't write anything like this ever again. Please. Ok rant over. On to the next book!
Alright. Just finished this and i am super sorry to say that it wasn't as good as i hoped it would be. I only read this because i am a fan of Shay Mitchell and i used to watch Pretty Little Liars religiously (read all 16 books too). Its blatantly clear that the character of Sophia is based off of Shay herself. But its like ok, if this character is based off of you, who were your friends back in the day and why the hell did you hang out with people that kept making one bad decision after another without intervening and doing something about it?! Leandra (or the person shes based off of) is a codependent bimbo that jumps from one rich guy to the next to solidify confidence in herself and to cover up the loneliness she feels in losing her sister to cancer. I really thought she would get it through her head that what she was doing to herself was clearly unhealthy and she would see the light by the end of the book, but sadly that did not happen. I pray whoever this chick is, she gets some serious therapy. She obviously needs help! And Demi (or the person shes based off of) is so completely heartbroken about her loser of a boyfriend cheating on her (duh, cuz hes a douche) that she goes into an alcoholic binge frenzy for 3 months and has to get arrested in order for her to see thats shes messing up her life. But even after that, she was still so hung up on the asshole ex, that she has sex with him to "empower herself and be liberated". And then she starts sleeping with her new boss. Who may or may not be married. But its ok to still sleep with him cuz she swears she won't fall in love with him. Its never even addressed that he may or may not have a wife! Really?! Are you freaking kidding me?! I wanted to smack her upside the head so bad that it gave me migrains. The only person that turned out well was Sophia but since she was based off of one of the authors so of course, she came out on top. I did not like the whole "possibly roofied and raped" scenario. That was too much for me. If there is a sequel to this book, i will not be reading it. Shay Mitchell i still love you and i hope you write more books in the future but don't write anything like this ever again. Please. Ok rant over. On to the next book!
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