Pretty Fierce

by Kieran Scott

Kaia has been on the run her whole life. The daughter of professional assassins, she knows true danger—and she’ll do anything to survive. After her parents vanished during a job gone bad, Kaia’s spent the last year in hiding, trying to blend in as an ordinary teenager, and there’s no one who makes her feel more normal or more special than her boyfriend, Oliver.

But when she’s jumped by a hit man, and Oliver catches her fighting back, Kaia’s secret is exposed. In a split-second decision, she flees the small town, taking Oliver with her. With professional killers stalking their every move, can Oliver and Kaia protect each other long enough to uncover the mysteries of her past?

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Adventure, Thriller

304 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2017

About the author

Kieran Scott is the author of domestic suspense and mystery novels including WISH YOU WERE GONE, REGRETS ONLY and PEOPLE WILL TALK. She has also written several young adult novels, both under her own name and for Alloy Entertainment under the pseudonym Kate Brian. These include the New York Times best-selling PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, as well as MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS and many others. She grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey, attended Rutgers University, and now lives in New Jersey with her husband, two sons and one goofy dog.

Reviews

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always on the look out for something fun and thrilling in the YA department and having already loved some of Scott's other work, I was eager to pick up her newest novel and see what she had in store for us this time.

I'm happy to say this didn't disappoint. While it did have a different feel from her others, more mystery than horror or paranormal, it still had all the action and adventure we are use to getting from her and strong characters with a plot that is always surprising us.

With some unexpected twists and turns and a plot that will keep you turning the pages up until the end, this was a fun filled ride that was a good escape read for a few hours.

*ARC copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley.)

This was a YA contemporary story about a girl who had parents who were assassins for hire.

Kaia was an okay character, and I felt sorry for her when she believed her parents to be dead after a hit gone wrong. She did quite well to stay on top when people were chasing her though.

The storyline in this was about Kaia being attacked, and then being chased across the county by the people after her. She took her boyfriend with her, and they basically just ran. We got a bit of action, car chases and guns, and a bit of mystery over what had happened to Kaia’s parents too, but the whole thing felt a little unbelievable to me, and some things just didn’t add up at all her mother just happened to steal someone’s phone and check the cameras in a random safe house with said phone, all at the exact same 10 seconds in time that her daughter is holding her phone number up to said camera? When they have multiple safe houses, and it’s been a year since she last saw her daughter? Really?

The ending to this was okay, and things ended happily enough, I just had issues with the believability aspect though.




6.25 out of 10

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

First off, this e-ARC had a lot of weird formatting, which made reading it a challenge at times. Nonetheless, Pretty Fierce started out strong for me. Main character Kaia has been living in hiding since the disappearance of her assassin parents. When she's suddenly attacked, she goes on the run with her confused boyfriend, Oliver, in tow.

The story was told in alternating first person, and my favorite part of this book was the relationship between Kaia and Oliver. His life is suddenly turned upside-down when his formerly normal girlfriend is suddenly a badass on the run. I liked the way that she assumed the stronger, more dominant role, and I thought his backstory was interesting.

The main problem I had with the book was that, toward the end when I learned who was chasing Kaia and why, it just all started seeming completely flimsy and wildly improbable. I wished that the story had been more about an ordinary girl who suddenly finds herself on the run -- like Roger Thornhill in Hitchcock's North by Northwest, a movie I was reminded of when reading Alex, Approximately -- but then I guess maybe that would have created a new improbability -- that, as an ordinary person, Kaia wouldn't have had the skills to survive.

tl;tr: If you can snag a hardcopy and get past some improbable stuff, this book did have a lot of action and suspense and an appealing couple.

Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin

The FTC would like you to know that the publisher provided me a free advance copy of this book, that free books can be enjoyable or not, and other readers may disagree with my opinion.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't have any expectations going into this book - and if I did have them, they were pretty low. I've had a love-hate relationship with Kieran Scott/Kate Brian books. I loved the first six books of the Private series, loved Sweet 16, and enjoyed most of She's So Dead to Us. However, the rest of the Private series went downhill, and I hated the end of that third book I mentioned.

Therefore, I hadn't been keeping close track of Scott's work, until I came across this book on Netgalley. I hadn't heard any hype about this, but I remembered all the good things about her previous books. What I didn't expect was just how much I would enjoy this book.

Let's start with the basics: For the past few months of Kaia's life, she's lived normally, which is a direct contrast than the crazy life she's had before. Her parents were ex-CIA, hired assassins, who were killed a few months, and now she's living the cookie-cutter normal life. Until one day, assassins are after Kaia, claiming her mother is really alive and now Kaia's on the run with her boyfriend, Oliver, who might be more than just the golden boy soccer star. Who can Kaia trust? And what is the truth behind her mother's death? How will Kaia and Oliver survive?

What I perhaps loved the most about this book was the authenticity of Oliver's and Kaia's voices. These were teenagers thrown in the middle of a pretty crazy situation - being chased by hired guns is never, like, a fun thing apparently. Crazy, I know. Anyway, they were thrown in this crazy situation, and they managed to react like normal people. Kaia had been through this before, but she still reacted like a girl who wasn't prepared and cared about the fake grandparents who may or may not be dead.

And Oliver? He was my favorite character of the two, and Oliver reacted perfectly. You could feel the panic from him.He was stress eating powdered doughnuts in the middle of high speed chases, and I'm like...OMG, that would so be me, too. Who doesn't eat powdered doughnuts in the middle of an insane situation because stress eating? Anyway, he wasn't like so many YA main characters that get thrown into a messy situation like this and have a two second panic and then are like, kk, I'm good. No, Oliver actually showed real-people emotions and panic, and I cheered, everyone. Actual cheering.

It's sad the little things that excite me anymore. :P

Anyway, the plot really isn't that realistic. There is no way that these kids should have survived the first plot twist let alone all the others. But once you throw away the logic and just embrace the Jason Bourne-esque plot, it's all good and I enjoyed this wild ride. I never knew what was going to happen next - although I totally called the major ending reveal. However, the other parts I didn't see what would come next, and I was actually super excited to see where this story was going - instead of dragging like I had been with my mini book slump.

The romance...okay, I know these two - Oliver and Kaia - were in a relationship, but I kind of forgot most of the time? They have more of a friendship vibe to them, and it's just a solid relationship. I liked them together, but I didn't get any feels. Like, literally none. However, I was actually fine with that...*waits for a second for all the gasps and clutching of pearls to stop* I know, I know; the girl that always has to have romance in her books was actually fine with nonexistent romance? The plot was just so interesting, I really didn't mind.

The only part that I really didn't like was the ending. By the end of the book, I was getting major Bold Tricks by Karina Halle vibes, but it never got to that point because right as I thought that there was clearly going to be second book because there was far too much to be wrapped up...it was wrapped up. Literally, according to my kindle, there were 16 minutes left in the book and everything was wrapped up. I just kind of vaguely blinked at my iPad going, what the heck did I just read? How did everything just get wrapped up with a nice little bow? This isn't real.

Well, I mean, it's not real, but still. There really should have been something more of an ending.

Other than that, I really enjoyed this book. It had a super fun, fast pace; great plot twists; and good characterization. The romance was lackluster, if that was what you're looking for in this book, but it really doesn't need to be the focus of this book to be entertaining. The main issues came from a too fast ending and sometimes a general disconnect to be a favorite.

Overall, a four crown/star and Ariel rating! I would definitely recommend you adding to your 2017 TBR if you're looking for a good thriller/action-packed adventure to fill your YA Jason Bourne feels...if that's a thing that even exists!

check out more of my thoughts here!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Contemporary, YA, Thriller
*Rating* 3-3.5

*My Thoughts*

Pretty Fierce, by new to me author Kieran Scott, is a standalone thrill ride from beginning to end. The story has plenty of action, suspense, and twists to keep you entertained. The story's protagonist is Kaia Thompson, who has the backbone, courage, and training necessary to back up her moxie. (18) months ago, Kaia's world turned upside down when her parents disappeared while on a job in Mexico.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews 04/15/2017*

http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...

[Alexis The Nerdy Bruja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright. A nice, thrilling adventure with a decent ending. However I felt that it was very rushed, the ending especially. I hate to go back and reread it because everything happened so fast. Overall a good, easy and fast paced read.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Fierce is a thrilling story, with plenty of action and drama.

It took me a few chapters to situate myself within the story, but the action soon grabbed my attention. But while this book has plenty of dangerous situations, high speed chases and guns to the forehead, it retains a sweetness and playfulness. The title is therefore apt, it is both Fierce and Pretty.

Eighteen months ago, while on a mission with her parents, Kaia and her mother were attacked. Her family was destroyed, her parents were both missing presumed dead, and Kaia put into action the plan that was only to be used if everything went terribly wrong. For the past 18 months, Kaia has been living with her 'grandparents', colleagues of her assassin parents. She has the most wonderful boyfriend, Oliver, and she is no longer endlessly plagued by nightmares. But all those fears resurface when she is brutally attacked and Oliver sees her take out her assailant. Now her secrets have been revealed and she isn't sure Oliver will want to stick by the crazy girl who was raised by assassins.

Kieran Scott says this story was inspired by a dream starring Chris Hemsworth - I knew there was a reason I enjoyed this story. It's fun, playful and still has all those elements of a high-speed, action blockbuster.

When the story starts it has been 18 months since Kaia's parents were killed and Kaia started a new life. She already has a strong relationship with Oliver, so Pretty Fierce is not about the start of a romance but instead the journey of a romance as Kaia and Oliver face death and an unknown future.

Kaia, as the daughter of two assassins, is of course strong, resilient, and proficient with weapons and self defence. But she is also not unbelievably talented. She is still recognisable as a teenage girl. She misses her parents, fears for her life, and makes mistakes, but she can also shoot a gun and handle a knife. Oliver, too, knows how to protect himself. At first he doubts his ability to keep up with Kaia. He is so surprised, and hurt, to discover the secrets she has been keeping from him, but as they face increasing danger, Oliver knows that he can protect Kaia just as she can protect him. I liked that Oliver was a strong character. I like that Kaia is strong enough on her own without needing a weak character to make her look strong. Oliver also has his own story, just as Kaia has hers. I liked that his backstory gives him depth, motives, and desires for the future. He is more than just Kaia's sidekick and their relationship is solid, despite the challenges they face and the changes they need to make.

As Kaia discovers more about her family and their secrets, she also learns about the secrets Oliver has been hiding from her. Together they face assassins, sometimes in the strangest of forms. At times the story was a little unrealistic, but its balance between playfulness and threat makes this an interesting and fun book to read.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews on my blog Madison's Library.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

PRETTY FIERCE was a fast-paced chase novel. Kaia is the daughter of two professional assassins who disappeared in Mexico on a job gone wrong leaving Kaia to take shelter with some retired colleagues of her parents. Kaia is plagued by insomnia and nightmares from being there with her parents when things went wrong. She is certain her parents are dead because she knows they wouldn't leave her alone otherwise. She finds herself attending a normal school and living a normal life for the first time which is what her last fight with her parents was about. But she didn't want a normal life at the cost of her parents.

The only one who is able to help her cope with school and the nightmares is Oliver. Oliver is a foster child who is in an abusive situation and who was abandoned by his father after watching his mother die of cancer. He has big hopes for his future with college on an athletic scholarship in his plans.

Oliver walks in on Kaia fighting off a hit man and they two go on the run to find out why hit men are suddenly targeting Kaia. They travel from safe house to safe house trailed by a variety of hit men. Kaia begins to believe that her mother is not dead and is determined to find and rescue her.

The story was exciting and the relationship between Kaia and Oliver is a great one. Both of them are dealing with major issues and each strengthens the other. This was an engaging story that kept me reading all the way to the ambiguous conclusion.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars I think.

I enjoyed this for the most part, but I was ultimately unsatisfied with the ending. It was very rushed and it seemed like the villain was defeated very quickly.

For more than 60% of the book, nothing is explained. There are a bunch of people who want to kill/kidnap/harm/whatever the main character, and she has no idea why. Then all of a sudden, somewhere around the 70% mark, she finds out everything she needs to know and decides to take on the bad guy by herself. I would have liked the book more had she learned about what was going on gradually.

I also wasn't wild about the romance. It just didn't feel believable to me. I didn't really connect with either of the narrators. Oliver's thoughts in particular did not seem realistic.

There was plenty of action which I liked a lot though.

[Ruthsic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Pretty Fierce has a high-speed on-the-run plot, filled with danger and assassins, with the alternating voices of Kaia and Oliver. This alternating POV helped, because on one hand you have Kaia, the experienced daughter of two ex-CIA-operatives-turned-private-assassins, and on the other you have Oliver, who literally is a fish out of water in this scenario. The first half of the book had me hooked - they were on the run from leagues of thugs coming after her, and trying to stay one step ahead and figuring out the why of it. Oliver and Kaia, though deeply in love, had hidden things about their pasts from each other, so in a way, this is like them learning new stuff about each other, painful things that they didn't bring out. The second half is where it sort of fell apart for me, because if until that time the plot was mildly-believable in its Jason Bourne glory, it got a bit more unbelievable. Ironically, the first half was more unpredictable than the first, and the second was mostly what I would expect from a standard action flick.

As for the writing, Scott always impresses with her characterization. You can see the painful loneliness in Kaia, the desire to hold on to family, and you can see Oliver's helplessness in the situation, his fear that he won't be enough for her. Their relationship is a very comfortable one, and though there are fights arising from miscommunication, they behave realistically and resolve it, instead of creating unnecessary angst. And even though they are romantic partners, this book doesn't feel heavy on romance at all, which was a nice change. The danger took the main focus of the plot, as it should have. The ending, however, was a bit out there with everything wrapped up so fast in the last two chapters, and though I was already sure what was going to happen, I ended up disappointed. It is also left open-ended, which considering what the plot had revealed just towards the end, did not sit well with the implication on their lives.

Overall, though, if you love spy-like thrillers, with car chases and hiding out, you are probably going to love this book.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review from Sourcebooks Fire, via Netgalley.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between 4 - 4.5 stars! Huuuuge fan of this. I love this author so much as it is, so perhaps I'm biased, but this was unputdownable for me. I loved that the main character and her boyfriend were together kicking ass. Lots of twists and turns throughout and I never had any predictions about what would happen next. Sometimes you just have to rate books on enjoyability and this one certainly was good for that. You definitely have to suspend your disbelief because the plot summary is already unrealistic, let alone what you actually see happen throughout the story.

[Alyssa Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my chance to read Pretty Fierce.*

Pretty Fierce is story packed with plenty of action, drama, and surprises. It follows the story of Kaia, the daughter of two professional assassins. Kaia definitely has not had an ordinary life so far and has dealt with the world of her parent's profession. When her parents go missing, Kaia has spent time in hiding trying to fit in to a regular high school life. That is a challenge for someone like Kaia, who has spent her life much differently than everyone else. I really liked Kaia as a character - she was strong, stood up for herself, but you could still see her vulnerabilities. She meets Oliver, a very likable character, who helps her get through all of her tough times and challenges.

It really took me a few chapters to feel myself connected to the story and found that the whole plot was a lot to take in. For me, it felt like there was a lot going on in the story at once and the plot didn't feel 100% realistic to me. There were many things I would stop and question as I read that seemed very unbelievable. Still, that's not to say that it wasn't entertaining and full of suspense! Pretty Fierce is a really thrilling book, that once I got into, the pages just flew by and I couldn't stop reading. When the plot does pick up, it is super fast-paced and you never know what would happen when you turn the page! I really enjoyed that about this story, that it was full of many twists and unexpected turns. It was exciting and kept you reading! The book switched points of view between Oliver and Kaia, which was interesting to keep switching perspectives between the two. Kaia and Oliver were in a relationship, but romance was not the main focus of the story. I really didn't mind that because the story was interesting enough that romance didn't need to be the main focus of the fast-paced and full of action plot. Kaia and Oliver really had a steady relationship throughout the story. Though I liked the speed of this book, I felt the ending was a little bit rushed. Everything sort of came to a conclusion all at once and I sort of felt like I was missing something. Besides all of that, I did enjoy it and I thought this book had some beautiful moments about family and love.

Overall, this was a good story if you are looking for a fast-paced action story to read!

[Olivia Wildenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced copy of PRETTY FIERCE. It was a highly entertaining, action-packed story that’s pleasantly written and unfolds at a brisk, satisfying pace. Think Veronica Mars meets Alias.

Kaia, a kick-ass heroine, finds herself embroiled with the mob and the CIA. After eighteen months in hiding, assassins locate Kaia and attempt to kidnap her. The reason why comes to light mid-book. And what a reason!
Her parents, former assassins, trained Kaia well—she is resourceful and resilient and can take care of herself. So when her boyfriend, Oliver, catches up to her as she flees her hometown, she tries to get him to stay behind, for his safety. But he proves himself a strong ally and good company. Plus he makes Kaia’s heart beat with something other than adrenaline and anguish.
Perhaps, my only criticism, which isn’t so much criticism as it is a wish, would’ve been for Scott to begin her book before she did so that I could’ve gotten to know Kaia and Oliver as a couple before they became a “team.” But that’s my romantic side…
I truly enjoyed Scott’s thrilling Young Adult adventure and highly recommend it!

[Gennifer Eccles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come closer to release date!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
"If my mother is alive, I'm going to find her. I'm going to bring her home. We were a family. A team. "


Kaia has lost everything she had ever known in the blink of an eye due to a job her parents were on. Being the daughter of assassins, while fun at times had also grown old. With Kaia wanting to have a 'normal' life and to not have to travel constantly and never have any real friends.
Now I'm not saying her parents were awful to her or anything of the sort, they loved her dearly and told her everything she ever wanted to know for the most part, and because of that when everything fell apart she knew what to do. She went to the designated place and restarted her life, all while grieving her parents and trying to act 'normal'. Which is where she met Oliver who has helped her start over, all while making sure to keep her past hidden from him. But she doesn't know that Oliver has secrets of her own that will end up saving both of them multiple times.

"Whining about the situation doesn't help the situation. Doing something does."

Once the two were on the run and had to rely on each other we really see not only how important they are to each other. As Kaia learns more about her parents and who exactly is out to get her now. We see both of them struggle between telling the truth about their pasts and trying to just stick to the status quo they had made.

" I need to know the big stuff. The stuff that makes you, you."

Overall I found this a fast paced read. Kaia and Oliver ended up working through things as a team and got to Kaia's goal that she had been wanting for the past 18 months.
Seeing things from Oliver's perspective as well every other chapter, really helped show not only what he had been though, but also what he was feeling throughout this crazy mission.
Of course some things go wrong and others amazingly enough end up working out for the best.
I also found the flashbacks to when everything changed for Kaia really enjoyable and helped the story make more sense.

As for the ending well, I wasn't expecting it to end so happy.


Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for and e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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[Elizabeth Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My mother had once told me you couldn't trust people who came into your life at the exact moment you needed them." 

Eighteen months ago, while on a mission with her parents, Kaia and her mother were attacked. Her family was destroyed, her parents were both missing presumed dead, and Kaia put into action the plan that was only to be used if everything went terribly wrong. For the past eighteen months, Kaia has been living with her 'grandparents', colleagues of her assassin parents. She has the most wonderful boyfriend, Oliver, and she is no longer endlessly plagued by nightmares. But all of those fears resurface when she is brutally attacked and Oliver sees her take out her assailant. Now her secrets have been revealed and she isn't sure Oliver will want to stick by the crazy girl who was raised by assassins. 

As Kaia discovers more about her family and their secrets, she also learns about the secrets Oliver has been hiding from her. Together they face assassins, sometimes in the strangest forms. At times the story was a little unrealistic, but its balance between playfulness and threat makes this an interesting book to read. 

It did take me a few chapters to situate myself within the story, but the action eventually grabbed my attention. "Pretty Fierce" is a thrilling story, with plenty of action and drama. 

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy! 

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm on a Roll! Such a great read! I loved it. Definitely something that needs picked up by more people. The story was intense and nonstop. There wasn't a calm moment through the whole story. From the first page to the last. Go Go Go. It was awesome. The characters were both very likable and pretty kick ass! I have nothing negative to say! A must read! It's definitely worth it. A fun YA read. Please check it out! Fans of spy books like the Gallagher Academy series or Others Like that will love this!:)

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Fierce was exactly what I was hoping it would be -- a fun, action-packed romp. Action movies are one of my favorite escapisms and this is the teen novelization of a Mission Impossible or Bourne-esque movie. Do you have to suspend disbelief? Most definitely yes but that was OK by me. Also, Kaia and Oliver's relationship was sweet with very little sexy which I completely appreciated in this context. They already have something established and solid but both have to overcome lies they've told each other and Oliver deals with some heavy stuff at home. Overall, the story dips its toes into being an *issue* book but stays mostly surface and action-focused.

TBH, this was the book I was hoping "You Don't Know My Name" was going to be because I'm having a hard time wading through that one...

*ARC provided by Netgalley

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fast paced and definitely an adventure of a story. Assassins and espionage, hitmen and murder - this book seemed to have it all. But it lacked something for me. It was interesting, sure, but didn't draw me in. I even liked the characters but I didn't love them. It was light and I think would be a perfect summer or winter break read.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Kieran Scott for quite some time now. I was obsessed with the Private series she wrote under the pseudonym Kate Brian. I had not read anything by here in a long time, yet when I pick up Pretty Fierce, I was instantly reminded of why I was such a fan of her writing. The characters and plot are always so exhilarating and well developed. This novel of hers was no different.

Pretty Fierce starts out with a bang (quite literally) and really does not stop until the very last page. There was never a point in this book where I was bored, I guess you could say that this book was the true definition of a page turner. The story follows Kaia, the daughter of CIA trained assassins, who after a rogue mission found herself orphaned and sent to live with old family friends. She is forced to enroll in a normal high school where she is miserable until she meets Oliver. I really enjoyed the romance in this book. Unlike a lot of other YA novels, this romance was already fairly developed. Kaia and Oliver had started dating a year prior to the start of the book, but literally everything Oliver knew about Kaia and her life was a lie. And little did Kaia know, Oliver has some tragic secrets of his own. When Oliver witnesses something he shouldn't have, Kaia is forced to take him on the run with her. On the road, they get to know each other in a different way, the REAL way, while also fighting off enemies from Kaia's past.

One issue I had with this book was the ending. I was about 90% finished with the book and thinking that there was no way that we would get answers to any of the questions that popped up throughout the story, when all of a sudden it was like a dump truck of answers just completely unloaded on the reader in a page and a half. It was TOO perfect of an ending. I think that this would've have been an incredible series, but the ending really did not leave that as an option.

Overall though, I thought that this was a fun, exciting read. If you like spies, action and a little bit of romance, check this book out.

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Pick it up when hits shelves in April 2017*

[Jeraca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw this book was available to read early, I fell in love with the synopsis and instantly downloaded the copy onto my Kindle. I was really excited to read about a daughter of two assassins because I was like, "She must be a badass!"

And Kaia is a badass for the majority of the book. She didn't blink when she found the hitman in her house and she didn't think twice about torturing him to find out why he was in her living room. Only when her very normal boyfriend Oliver walks in does she blink because now her two very opposite worlds are colliding and she's not sure how to fix it.

I liked how this novel did flash backs to Kaia's worst memory, making the story whole by the time the reader gets to the very end of the novel. The last time Kaia was on a hit mission with her parents was the last time she saw her parents. After that, she had to live with friends of her parents and have a normal life. Like going to high school. It was what Kaia wanted, but she wanted it with her parents with her.

The suspense and being with Kaia when she was trying to figure out why all of these different ethnicity of people are after her was very suspenseful and it was nice to learn with Kaia. There were a lot of surprises that happen throughout the novel that kept me interested in this book.

And the best part? It's a standalone! No sequel to pine over!

Also, even Oliver has some secrets under his belt that makes for a shocking surprise at the end of the novel!

Overall, I was very happy with this book and I'm glad that I got to read it early! I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more by this author!

[Sabrina Kaye Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on badass Kaia and her smoking hot boyfriend Oliver, who accompanies her on her dangerous adventure to find out if her parents are still alive.

Kaia is a very determined girl, hellbent on finding her parents no matter the risk. Her boyfriend is sweet, at times broody, and a bigger help to her than Kaia realized he was going to be. They complement one another, and despite their severe differences, they manage to still be there for one another through thick and thin. They really are #couplegoals. (That's how the teenyboppers say it nowadays, right)?

The action in this book is exhilarating and will get your heart racing. It's even a little gruesome with multiple deaths involved, which makes it better for me because I don't like to read books that are too fluffy. The amount of romance was good enough for me because it was overbearing and in your face. It was more low-key and innocent which is how I like my romance to be in the books I read.

I think I'm into reading action books as opposed to watching movies, but I think this book should be made into a movie. I'd watch it!

[Andrea Heltsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some thoughts as I read:

"Holy heck this book started off with action and is just getting more interesting! I'm psyched about this book now more than when I got it."
"Still as good as it started. I can't seem to put it down!"
"Intense! So many twists! Oh and I have found my new book boyfriend!!!"

I loved every moment of this book. The plot took me on a wild ride and didn't slow down until the very last page. Kaia and Oliver had so many ups and downs but the love they shared was adorable. This was a fast paced young adult thriller where nothing is as it seemed and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

A must read teen suspense full of action, secrets, family, romance, loyalty and twists. Five glittery stars hands down! A top title for 2017!

[Rachel Chiapparine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was blessed to be approved by the publisher via Netgally to receive a free ebook copy of the book in exchange for my honest review of the book which is as follows:

This book reminded me a lot of the "Fearless" series by Francine Pascal or what would happen if "Jason Borne" got married and had a daughter. At first the way the story was told(going back and forth between character/they're respective points of view) and the pacing of the book really bugged me however after page 200 I started to get pulled into the flow of the story and it didn't bother me as much.

I feel like the majority of the last half of the book was an explanation of behind the scenes storyline mechanics(who hired bad guy a etc) overall I enjoyed the characters. I rate this book a 5/10

[Giselle Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a teen named Kaia who has a troubling past. Her parents both “died” by being killed by a man named Hector T. and his minions. Kaia and her boyfriend both barely escape. They hide and try to uncover the truth about Kaia’s parents. On this journey they run into Kaia’s uncle Marco. Action, Romance, Comedy and Horror. This book has it all.
There are several things I absolutely loved about this book. One of them is that the characters were so well written that I felt like a friend to Kaia and Oliver on their journey. Another reason why I loved it was that there was a sense of mystery. The parents being “missing” and who the heck Hector T. is.
Overall I give this book a 10/5. It is a new runner up for my favorite book. Happy Reading. 😊

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action packed adventure of teen girl on the run with her boyfriend after the killers who were last seen attacking her parents return for her. A violent coming of age story with the boyfriend's family situation as a contrast for the girl's situation.

[Melissa Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Kieran Scott's books before, and Pretty Fierce was also enjoyable, but I didn't absolutely love it. I don't know why - maybe it was just so far out there that it didn't seem at all realistic - but it was also intriguing and I enjoyed Oliver's character.

[Kelly Gunderman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!

I haven’t read anything by Kieran Scott before now, although I have heard a lot of praise for writing over the years. I was pretty excited when I started reading Pretty Fierce, because spy thrillers are definitely my thing. I haven’t read one that I haven’t absolutely loved, so when I couldn’t sleep one night I started reading, hoping to fall in love with this one like I have with so many others in the same genre.

Unfortunately, while the book was mostly a good read, and it kept me entertained for the most part, I couldn’t get invested in the story or the characters the way that I wanted to. From the very start of the book, I couldn’t connect with the main characters, Kaia or Oliver. Kaia was a distant character, and I felt absolutely no connection to her while reading this book. Oliver, on the other hand, was more like a completely cookie-cutter character that I just couldn’t really get interested in. Together, their relationship felt like it really lacked chemistry, and as though it was staged or forced throughout the entirety of the novel. I love character driven novels, but for me, this one was more plot driven with characters that didn’t leave much of a lasting impact on me.

The story in Pretty Fierce, on the other hand, was definitely interesting. The main character, Kaia, is used to being on the run, since her parents are professional assassins. Because of this, she knows how to spot danger and how to stay away from it – going to extreme lengths to survive and keep herself out of it. However, after one of her parents’ jobs go wrong, she finds herself living without parents with another couple in hiding. When something goes wrong one day, and Kaia is attacked by a hit man, she hits the road and tries to get to the bottom of why she is being attacked. Her boyfriend, Oliver, who caught her fighting and demands to know everything, is along for the ride, causing Kaia to spill all of her secrets to him. While she tries to keep him safe, even attempting to abandon him so that they won’t be after him as well as her, Oliver seems to have his own secret.

While they are on the road, trying to figure out their next moves, Kaia and Oliver have killers trying to get to them everywhere they turn. When an interesting message on a cell phone turns up some information that Kaia almost can’t believe, things change for her – and it seems like maybe everything she thought she knew might not be what she believed.

Like I said, the story was pretty good – it definitely had its ups and downs, but all in all, it was enjoyable, incredibly fast-paced (almost too fast-paced at times), and it had its thrills. I think this book could have been a lot better had the characters been believable and better rounded. Kaia is the daughter of an assassin with secrets that she guards close to her heart, but honestly, that’s about the only thing about her that’s interesting. The remainder of her personality is somewhat dull and uninteresting. Oliver was okay, but nothing memorable here, either. The plot is what I remembered most about the book.

Note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

**I received this as an egalley from Edelweiss in return for an honest review.**

To be honest I had a feeling almost a chapter in that this was not going to be a promising book. While the premise was interesting, the writing felt more like something I would see in a young reader's novel rather than a young adult one. It moved too quickly, the characters tried for depth but did not always make it, and it was just always one thing after another. The story began immediately with action and a chase, with barely an introduction, and it didn't stop or pause from there. There was always one bad guy after another chasing them or surprising them, and you would think the daughter of two assassins might have some sense to keep her trail hidden or something but no, she didn't really try all that hard I thought. It ended up being one long, continuous chase with fight scenes and a few relationship-drama scenes, and an overall plot that felt like it was directed towards a younger generation than what it's supposed to be.

The characters were okay, but not spectacular either. Oliver and Kaia are supposedly in love but the reader is never really given much about their relationship aside from the day they met and a few things about 'going on adventures' and taking care of one another. There were, of course, secrets between them that led to the ever hateable lack-of-communication trope, and other self-pity issues that cropped up concerning their relationship, but for the most part I could not bring myself to care about either or them or their 'love' for each other. Not to mention, right off the bat, Kaia was described as being "not like those other girls" because she was a tomboy who skated and didn't wear lipgloss (omg) and that's what attracted her to Oliver in the first place and please gag me. And finally, the bad guys were ridiculously over-the-top evil, with seemingly no reason for being so except because they could. I mean, it was like they came out of some cheesy made-for-TV kid's movie about good vs. evil guys.

There were plot holes (a mole in the CIA just decided, 'hey I'm gonna spread around this picture of this guy's UNDERAGE DAUGHTER in the hopes that someone off's her because that is going to totally help my cause!' Like, who was the mole working for that he thought taking out the daughter of a single CIA agent, who, by the way, captured for over a year, would help in any way possible?? Just...what was that???), lots of angst that felt like it was forced onto the characters to make them more believable, and a story that was over-convoluted and felt way too ridiculous to ever even be plausible, especially with the motives of the 'bad guys'. It was easy to read and fast (because the pacing was ridiculous), so I managed to finish it because of how quickly it moved, but if I hadn't been reviewing an egalley of this, I probably would have stopped a lot closer to page 1. 1.5 stars

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at Dual Reads

I received a copy of the book for review.

The premise of this story totally grabbed me. Kaia being the daughter of assassins was super intriguing to me and, luckily, that part of the story definitely followed through. We didn't really get to see much of her previous life - presumably so we wouldn't dislike her parents although I can promise you I wouldn't have disliked them at all. But I really enjoyed seeing what Kaia had learned from this lifestyle.

The fact that she was in a relationship from the start was both a draw and a worry for me. I actually love when relationship drama is resolved really early on and then the love interests work together for the rest of the book so I was excited for that. But I was worried that Oliver might prove judgmental or a liability - that he would hold Kaia back as she fought for survival. Oliver was not my favourite character - I liked him - but I definitely preferred Kaia. That said, Oliver didn't hold her back. He pulled his own weight in the survival stakes and it was great to watch him come out of his shell and be more badass by the end of the book.

The thing that really held this story back for me was that certain parts just didn't add up or make sense particularly - this is definitely a book you need to go into willing to just go with it. Don't think too hard about the mechanics of it, don't start thinking about all the ways their escape could go wrong (and there were many - their escape procedure was seriously faulty) just enjoy the ride and you'll be fine.

I mentioned that I like my relationship drama solved early and we mostly got that here. Mostly. For some reason both Oliver and Kaia, despite being in a pretty solid relationship, found excuses to act in increasingly stupid and relationship damaging ways. Some of this made sense - Oliver did just find out a whole chunk of Kaia's secret past so he has a lot to deal with. But sometimes I just wanted to shake them. However I really liked that no matter how bad you thought things were getting with them their love for each other never wavered and they always did their best to understand and support each other - even when they had no idea why.

Overall, if you want something fun and exciting with a sweet romance and two compelling characters then definitely give this a chance. It's not a book I'll be thinking about for days afterwards and I might not re-read it but I do not regret the time I spent reading it - it was enjoyable.