The Wildest Kind of Pretty

by R.J. Abell

Lexi lives with her cousin Trevor. They’re closer than siblings, more like twins than anything else. It’s the start of Lexi’s freshman year, with four years difference, as a senior Trevor takes Lexi under his wing. Trevor’s a free bird if there ever was free bird. He’s always telling Lexi how they’re too young to settle because ther’re too many wild and pretty things out there.
It’s freshman year, and Lexi’s never felt more nauseous. Thanks to the change that took place over the summer, the one with the sprout of legs and boobs, she doesn’t feel comfortable in her skin. Lexi’s always been wild and free, until she becomes insecure about how the boys at school will perceive the changes in her body.


Lexi’s first day starts out as a mess and Trevor seems to be going out of his way to embarrass her. Whether he realizes it or not, it’s not cool to put your cousin on blast for wearing Ninja Turtle underwear, especially not in front of his hot friend. Blake’s the prettiest wild thing Lexi’s ever seen. His eyes are the color of the sky caught in a storm, a girl could get lost in eyes like that. Blake coins her with a lousy nickname that makes her feel bad about herself. Lexi accepts that Blake’s out of her league and moves on.


It’s hard for Lexi to move on when her best friend and Blake become an item. Now Lexi’s down in the dumps, at her lowest of lows. Everything changes when Trevor throws a party. Lexi meets Evan, he’s sweet with dimples and eyes of velvet, a girl could get lost in eyes like that. The party’s epic, the party’s a mess. It’s a night full of firsts and regrets. Blake gives Lexi her first kiss in a harmless game of spin the bottle. After the kiss Blake starts to show interest in Lexi, but he’s still with her best friend and she’s still with Evan.


Always divided in two, like most 15-yearold’s, Lexi finds herself constantly confused about what’s right or wrong. She loves the boy with the eyes of velvet, but she can’t stop thinking about the boy with a storm in his eyes. Lexi finds there’s something to Trevor’s logic when it comes to all the wild and pretty things. Like sometimes, boys are the wildest kind of pretty; the kind that are all wrong for you, but you fall for them anyways. Those boys are nothing but distractions, but sometimes a distraction is what you need.

Genres: Romance

330 pages, ebook

Published September 13, 2016

Reviews

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you R.J. Abell for the opportunity to read your book. This was a good read. I thought it was a good story, although I did get confused about the ending. There were some typos in the writing. Also, I thought the main character were okay. I found the story would have been better if the typos were edited. I can't wait to see what R.J. Abell has in store next. Overall, an okay read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! I was fully engulfed in it and read it in one day! I could really relate to the main character and it made me long for young high school years! I was saddened by the ending though (but I won't go into that as to not post any spoilers). This book is in serious need of an editor though there were far too many typos and misspellings! Overall I loved it though and it was beautifully written.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. YA Romance is not my usual genre of choice but I found that once I started reading this I really got into it. I thought Lexi's perspective was a pretty accurate window into the mind of an insecure teenage girl. She was pretty and fun to be around but saw none of that in herself. Unfortunately its an opinion many girls express about themselves whether they believe its true or if its to get attention and fish for compliments. I liked Lexi's character but I would have liked her better if she had just a bit more self confidence. I also really liked her cousin Trevor. He looked out for Lexi and though he had his own flaws he was a genuinely a good guy. I don't think I'll ever understand what goes on in the heads of boys especially high school boys but they always seem to make things difficult for themselves. Blake was a perfect example of this. Evan on the other hand is the total opposite. He had his heart on his sleeve from start to finish. Trevor's girlfriend Kim turned out to be the most surprising character of all. I really didn't expect much from her except that she would be the typical mean girl but she had much more substance than that.
The only part that I felt was kind of odd was the whole church and youth group parts. The book was all about these partying teens and then all of a sudden they're going to church. I don't have a problem with books that have religion in them but this book was not even close to Christian or religious fiction so I felt like it was a misplaced. It also seemed like it was a bit preachy at first (pardon the pun!). Then it just kind of faded back into the background. It wasn't really a point of prominence and didn't seem so obtrusive anymore.
All in all this was an enjoyable work of contemporary YA romantic fiction. I think with some general copyediting and polishing this story could be greatly improved. Some simple edits and changes could take it from being a good story to a great one.
I look forward to reading more by this author and I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA romance.

I would like to thank the author/narrator/publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. This is an unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jen Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book in trade for an honest review.
I've read hundreds of YA romance books but none truly showcase what the average 15 year old girl goes through like this book does. I was able to relate knowing that I went through and still go through the same kind of emotions and thoughts that Lexi does. Although I found the book had a slow start, it definitely captured my interest and I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
Wildest Kind of Pretty shows the thoughts of an average 15 year old girl starting high school while also showing the real meaning of what it means for family to stick together, having your first real crush/ boyfriend and that former can be found at a young age. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading YA romance. This book was very well written

[Jay Forester · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must say that I am not an avid reader of young adult romance novels and was at first, skeptical about this book. However, after reading R.J.Abell’s The Wildest Kind of Pretty, I am obliged to confess my overall pleasant experience with this captivating tale of young love and the all too familiar struggles with which we all can relate. Anyone who has been through the most difficult years of adolescence can attest to Abell’s protagonist and every emotional twist and turn she encounters on her hectic year as a high school freshman. The characters in this story are so well developed and realistic that the reader is drawn into their love story and Abell makes it difficult to put the book down. Between the ups and downs of the dramatic roller coaster ride on which we are taken, we are also exposed to the potentially life-altering decisions that many of us face as teenagers including, drugs, alcohol, sex, and religion. Overall, I was very satisfied with the outcome of the story but will leave any surprises to those looking for a fun and compelling read. As with most self published works, there are a few, insignificant grammatical errors that, fortunately for the author, do not distract from the genuinely charming and thought-provoking plot, but would caution anyone who reads The Wildest Kind of Pretty to remember that it is not about syntax so much as content. Thank you Abell for this genuinely, heartwarming story.

[Debbie Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. This book is more for the younger readers. And after reading I can't wait to buy this for my daughter. This book has a great flow. I think that young readers (13-18) will really relate to the story line. Maybe even help them sort things out that they could be dealing with. The story if extremely real feeling and what I believe young people are dealing with today.

[Sammy Allen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this as a free nook book months ago and finally decided to pick it up. It was an okay novel. I loved the relationship between the main character, Lexi, and her cousin, Trevor. As far as the romantic relationships in this book, i found them all to be pretty problematic. Lexi was only 15 years old so that explains some of the decisions she makes, but even the people in her life who are suppose to protect her really didnt. Overall, an okay read, being that it was free and super quick to read.

[D.C. Triana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young adult drama at its best! Insecurities, one-sided crushes, illegal drinking, the choices that you make on drugs, partying and in the midst of all the madness there’s an unexpected romance. Although my adolescence left me a while back, R.J. was able to bring to life well-developed characters and brought me back to a time of first kisses and that teenage angst we all love so much. Lexi is the typical insecure teenager who is recently blossoming into her own, but doesn’t know what to do with all the changes. She lives with her cousin Trevor, who is a free spirit and tries to teach her to be the same and not care what other think. She’s in love with her crush, Blake, but he goes out with her best friend. Then, she falls for Evan, but her world goes into a spin when Blake starts to notice her. The heartbreak of unrequited love is never as powerful as when you’re a teenager. Although there were a few grammatical errors it was still a very enjoyable read.

[TDCbookreviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story had such potential ... The first chapter opens up on Lexi's first day of high school. Nervous and scared to pieces, but she has her best friend and cousin to support her.

But then the author cannot figure out a story-line. All of the sudden two 15 year old girls and 4 seniors are in a living room, drunk and making out with each other.

Then Lexi gets a boyfriend. and he wants to go to church. but she's in love with her cousin's best friend who is the most gorgeous boy she's ever seen. and her best friend is no where. and now shes all popular and cool.

No more talk about school... or anything really. It needs a lot of editing, grammar wise and with a stronger story line. It was very confusing and fell short after such a strong opening. Disappointing.

[Audrey Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could be a really good book.

I liked the characters and the plot but I didn't like the heavy telling that slows down the pace. The various typos also bothered me.

I wasn't a fan of how much they drank especially that Lexi, who is the 15 year old main character.

If this book was edited I would definitely have given it a four.

The author provided this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! High school was a long time ago for me, but so many aspects of Lexi rang very true of my experience. Her mindset is incredibly relatable. This book is honest and a very good read! I definitely recommend it, it's the epitome of YA.

[Tea, And My Book · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story is not for me and since I am a dedicated reader, i will elaborate on why this book was not for me. First off, the main character, Lexi, was not a good heroine. I know that she is only 15, but sheesh, she was really shallow. This is the summary of the book in two sentences.......This story is about a girl who has low self-esteem, so she pushes the guy that she likes on her best friend,Kammie, because she thinks that her best friend is prettier than her and believes that Kammie and this guy is a perfect match. Eventhough she knows that Kammie has a crush on her cousin, she insist on trying to play matchmaker and once they start to date, or so they call it, she becomes jealous and makes out with said guy. That is the summary of this book in nutshell.You see, Lexi is a freshman in high school and she is introduced to the awesome, attractive senior named Blake, which is her cousin's best friend. After her cousin embarrasses her in front of Blake, she runs to the bathroom to shed a couple of tears and comes back to discover that Blake invited Kammie to come to Trevor's party, which is also Lexi's house. She takes the lack of an invite as an indication that she is ugly and he has a thing for Kammie. So fast forward to the party, alcohol was consumed and lips were kissed and it made for one hell of a night for this FIFTEEN YEAR OLD.

Now i do enjoy a book in the YA genre, but this book was too immature for me. Maybe if the main character was around 17 or 18 years of age, was likable, and was even remotely close to being a good friend, I may have enjoyed this book. The pace was really slow and there were a couple of grammatical errors like using "waste" for "waist" and the dialogue needed major work. The book had no point besides a teenage girl liking a couple of boys and that is hugely supported by the ending of this book. She asks herself questions and it is obvious to the reader what the answer is, but she does the opposite and she was a really bad friend as well. Poor Kammie had no one else and I felt sorry for her.

I am going to quote the text to display the type of writing that takes place in this book. This is when Lexi and Blake have a intimate moment and Lexi finds out that Blake is dating, or so they call it, her best friend Kammie.

"I saw his ugly and I wanted his raw. I knew he was no good for me, but I wanted him anyways. I felt it. I could see in his eyes the way he craved my innocence; his raw called to my sweetness."

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Needs some serious editing!

[Nam Nguyen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclosed is a free book give away review.
The Wildest Kind of pretty is the type of novel that’s more in love with itself. Unfortunately for R.J. Abell, its visual identity is its only identity. The narration, while its greatest strength, serves to limit the narrative to anything more than shallow.
What this demonstrates to the audience and readers alike is the danger of the ordinary narrator. Ordinary if you are willing to admit the average female teenager is only obsessed with the aesthetic. While I wouldn’t go as far as to argue that the narrator; Lexi, has a strong voice, her story has a character to it, a certain flavour – vapid.
Through the lens of Lexi, the characters seem to lack anything beyond a visual identity. There is an attempt to bridge the audience with a sense of touch and sound beyond Lexi herself. Even then Lexi is only concerned with her appearance – the appearance of others. Their hair, clothes, and makeup. There is no engagement as she places blush on her skin, nor as she tangles with her hair. Where there should be something holding the audience’s attention, there is instead – nothing.
That isn’t to say that Lexi herself isn’t done well. There is a consistent use of teenage jargon, and a stream-of-consciousness focussed on teenage concerns.
Abell also has a little habit of stating the obvious and redundant expression. This creates breaks in Lexi's consciousness which seem obtrusive and unnatural. By far the largest concern would be the usage of reverse chronological description – describing a character as pretty before pretty has been defined to the audience.
Despite these concerns, the author has clearly placed a lot of effort in the publication of her first book. There is a lot of evidence of care in her publication. I would of course, say it needs more work - Particularly in the grammar department.
I would cautiously recommend this novel to its intended audience which I would guess is somewhere between the ages of nine and fourteen.
Cautiously due to the positive feedback of the messages upon those of a vulnerable age.
Cautiously due to a lack of enjoyment derived from the narrative itself.