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Black Mountain Academy
Pretty When She Cries
Your first kiss is supposed to be sweet. Ours was baptized in fire.
I was the new girl trying to find her place.
Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.
I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.
I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.
But I fell for him before I knew those things.
To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.
And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.
I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.
He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.
The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.
I was the new girl trying to find her place.
Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.
I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.
I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.
But I fell for him before I knew those things.
To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.
And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.
I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.
He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.
The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2020
2975 people are currently reading
5760 people want to read
About the author
A. Zavarelli
56 books7,496 followersA. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.
When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.
She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.
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Bookbub- https://geni.us/AZavarelliBookbub
Twitter- https://geni.us/AZavarelliTwitter
Website- https://www.azavarelli.com
When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.
She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.
Facebook Page- https://geni.us/AZavarelliAuthor
Facebook Reader Group- https://geni.us/FemmeFatales
Mailing List: https://geni.us/ucfAZH1
Instagram- https://geni.us/AZavarelliInstagram
Amazon- https://geni.us/AZavarelliAmazon
Bookbub- https://geni.us/AZavarelliBookbub
Twitter- https://geni.us/AZavarelliTwitter
Website- https://www.azavarelli.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 762 reviews
dnf
October 27, 2020On Pause @ 23%...for now, anyway...
I haven’t been able to buy in to the premise upon which the book is built, so there’s no point in continuing, really. Which is a bummer. I love AZ and I love bully trope books.
I’m sure it’s not you, it’s me, book. Maybe I’ll try again another day when I'm in a different mood. I can't help but think I might love it on another day.
I haven’t been able to buy in to the premise upon which the book is built, so there’s no point in continuing, really. Which is a bummer. I love AZ and I love bully trope books.
I’m sure it’s not you, it’s me, book. Maybe I’ll try again another day when I'm in a different mood. I can't help but think I might love it on another day.
January 26, 2021
4 Stars!
... A piquing and gritty romance.
Note: This is a high school, enemies to lovers romance.
I am so mad with the antagonist! She's a manipulator, psychotic, obsessive, and horny bitch. What happened to her in the story was not enough. She should suffer for the rest of her life. For the record, Audrey is officially my worst fictional enemy, so far.
Pretty When She Cries completely hooked me. I loved how the prologue instantly captured my interest that I never noticed I just finished the book. Every word, every page, every banter, and every damn fight was so interesting. This book simply made me missed my high school life.
The story focused on Landon and Kailani. They were both seniors in Black Mountain Academy, a prestigious learning institution. They've been friends in the past but became enemies because of secrets and misunderstanding. They're so stubborn that they sought revenge in each other not knowing that their real enemies were just lurking in the shadows.
A. Zavarelli conveyed every emotions in every words well. The story has a wonderful feeling of trust and being in love, knowing that the right person is not what you expected the most. Absolutely captivating young adult romance with the right amount of angst, hotness, and intensity.
Overall, if you wanted to read a special love story that will leave you feel all the high and low feelings, I wholeheartedly recommend this!
... A piquing and gritty romance.
Note: This is a high school, enemies to lovers romance.
I am so mad with the antagonist! She's a manipulator, psychotic, obsessive, and horny bitch. What happened to her in the story was not enough. She should suffer for the rest of her life. For the record, Audrey is officially my worst fictional enemy, so far.
Pretty When She Cries completely hooked me. I loved how the prologue instantly captured my interest that I never noticed I just finished the book. Every word, every page, every banter, and every damn fight was so interesting. This book simply made me missed my high school life.
The story focused on Landon and Kailani. They were both seniors in Black Mountain Academy, a prestigious learning institution. They've been friends in the past but became enemies because of secrets and misunderstanding. They're so stubborn that they sought revenge in each other not knowing that their real enemies were just lurking in the shadows.
He rocks his hips against my palm, but at the same time, I can see the warring doubts in his mind. The last time we did this, it didn’t end well.
“Don’t.” I shake my head and kiss his jaw. “We can go back to hating each other tomorrow.”
A. Zavarelli conveyed every emotions in every words well. The story has a wonderful feeling of trust and being in love, knowing that the right person is not what you expected the most. Absolutely captivating young adult romance with the right amount of angst, hotness, and intensity.
Overall, if you wanted to read a special love story that will leave you feel all the high and low feelings, I wholeheartedly recommend this!
“Landon.” I squeeze his face in my palms, my words laced with an intensity I don’t recognize. “I surrender, okay? We have to be on the same team no matter what. I love you too much to lose you for one more second.”
February 22, 2021
Holly Molly... this Aubrey girl pining for the hero is a psychotic bitch🤯 She is the queen of all teenager psychotic bitches👸🏻 of the romance world lol. This level of craziness needs some kind of acknowledgement.
The book itself was OK. But it gave me the feeling I had already read about these people/situations/problems like THOUSANDS OF TIMES... Pretty typical angstish school drama contemporary romance book (which is scary haha) . If I compare my teenage years with these dudes'... oh well, they were so boring and ADEQUATE 😂
Gosh I wanna read smth that will blow my mind 😭
The book itself was OK. But it gave me the feeling I had already read about these people/situations/problems like THOUSANDS OF TIMES... Pretty typical angstish school drama contemporary romance book (which is scary haha) . If I compare my teenage years with these dudes'... oh well, they were so boring and ADEQUATE 😂
Gosh I wanna read smth that will blow my mind 😭
October 15, 2020
Ash is my Must Read author, so an automatic read. She presents angsty lovers who've become enemies and are in the process of finding their way to each other again in Black Mountain Academy, a school for rich, obnoxious, entitled teens
A HS drama later, both Kailani Hale and Landon Blackwood are bitter sworn enemies, their so called friends playing truant in between, widening the chasm.
“You started the war two years ago”...”I just came back to finish it.”
Landon surely doesn't need enemies, his "family" is enough. A tragically lonely celebrity who has come to live a normal life, until it explodes in his face and Kailani is an innocent bystander catching shrapnel.
It's heartbreaking and emotional, you can feel the sharp edges of the broken hearts trying their best to survive.
I felt for Landon, his brokenness elicits sympathy and adoration. Kail is a girl wronged and remarkable warrior woman. Only her heart didn't get the memo
I loved the pace, the passion, the pain..
4 stars for Cougarettes
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A HS drama later, both Kailani Hale and Landon Blackwood are bitter sworn enemies, their so called friends playing truant in between, widening the chasm.
“You started the war two years ago”...”I just came back to finish it.”
Landon surely doesn't need enemies, his "family" is enough. A tragically lonely celebrity who has come to live a normal life, until it explodes in his face and Kailani is an innocent bystander catching shrapnel.
It's heartbreaking and emotional, you can feel the sharp edges of the broken hearts trying their best to survive.
I felt for Landon, his brokenness elicits sympathy and adoration. Kail is a girl wronged and remarkable warrior woman. Only her heart didn't get the memo
I loved the pace, the passion, the pain..
4 stars for Cougarettes
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
October 23, 2020
4.5 STARS
Do you have authors that you don't even bother to read the blurb from? A Zavarelli is one of mine. No matter what the woman writes, I know I'll be gagging for it. Because she never fails to create some of the most captivating and memorable characters. And this installment in the Black Mountain Academy series was finger licking good. No joke. I honestly wanted to lick my fingers when I turned the last page. It was that delicious.
An angsty and gritty romance set in high school where the only thing the students have more than money is spite and crazy. GAH. Yasss girl. This was right up my alley. After an incident that turned her world upside down, Kailani ran back to Hawaii. She never quite fit it with the rich and entitled students of Black Mountain Academy. She's a talented dancer whose mother married into money but for love. Now she's back to exact revenge on all who took part in the events of that night, including the boy she never got over.
Landon is the infamous bad boy with a reputation that proceeds him. A child actor turned teenage heartthrob, all Landon has ever known is people's dark sides. Everyone wants something from him, including his own family. He has deep rooted trust issues and a chip on his shoulder that's a mile long. He's also deliciously enigmatic, mysterious, and oh so sexy. He once fell hard for his beautiful and shy neighbor, but even she turned out to be not who he thought she was. And now that she's back, he has a revenge of his own to exact.
This story was a delicious entanglement of drama and angst and I devoured every page of it. Suspend your disbelief here and prepare yourself for Cruel Intentions on crack. These teenagers are CRAZY. Revenge, secrets, and lies run rampant through the halls of Black Mountain. And while Landon and Kailani have their agenda, someone else has theirs, and that amounts for some insane twists and turns. Yes, some of them were high on the realm of believability, but I couldn't seem to care less. I lived for the drama here. When drama is done right, it can be absolutely delicious, and it was here.
I loved the tension and chemistry between Kailani and Landon. I loved their push and pull and I especially loved the way Kailani gave as hard as she got. The girl spared no punches when it came to her enemies. She certainly wasn't the naive girl she was before she came back. This girl had claws and she wasn't afraid to use them.
If you're looking for an angsty and gritty high school romance with plenty of steam and no shortage of drama, look no further. This will tick every box and leave you wanting more.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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I guess it's true what they say about forbidden fruit. Kailani is the sweetest poison.
Do you have authors that you don't even bother to read the blurb from? A Zavarelli is one of mine. No matter what the woman writes, I know I'll be gagging for it. Because she never fails to create some of the most captivating and memorable characters. And this installment in the Black Mountain Academy series was finger licking good. No joke. I honestly wanted to lick my fingers when I turned the last page. It was that delicious.
An angsty and gritty romance set in high school where the only thing the students have more than money is spite and crazy. GAH. Yasss girl. This was right up my alley. After an incident that turned her world upside down, Kailani ran back to Hawaii. She never quite fit it with the rich and entitled students of Black Mountain Academy. She's a talented dancer whose mother married into money but for love. Now she's back to exact revenge on all who took part in the events of that night, including the boy she never got over.
Landon is the infamous bad boy with a reputation that proceeds him. A child actor turned teenage heartthrob, all Landon has ever known is people's dark sides. Everyone wants something from him, including his own family. He has deep rooted trust issues and a chip on his shoulder that's a mile long. He's also deliciously enigmatic, mysterious, and oh so sexy. He once fell hard for his beautiful and shy neighbor, but even she turned out to be not who he thought she was. And now that she's back, he has a revenge of his own to exact.
This story was a delicious entanglement of drama and angst and I devoured every page of it. Suspend your disbelief here and prepare yourself for Cruel Intentions on crack. These teenagers are CRAZY. Revenge, secrets, and lies run rampant through the halls of Black Mountain. And while Landon and Kailani have their agenda, someone else has theirs, and that amounts for some insane twists and turns. Yes, some of them were high on the realm of believability, but I couldn't seem to care less. I lived for the drama here. When drama is done right, it can be absolutely delicious, and it was here.
I loved the tension and chemistry between Kailani and Landon. I loved their push and pull and I especially loved the way Kailani gave as hard as she got. The girl spared no punches when it came to her enemies. She certainly wasn't the naive girl she was before she came back. This girl had claws and she wasn't afraid to use them.
If you're looking for an angsty and gritty high school romance with plenty of steam and no shortage of drama, look no further. This will tick every box and leave you wanting more.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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December 10, 2023
4.5/5⭐️ Wow. I loved this way more than I thought I would. This was full of teenage angst but it was so entertaining I couldn’t put it down!
That prologue was kind of sad and crazy but it had me feeling intrigued by what was going to happen next! I felt so bad for Kailani 😭
This has a bit of enemies to lovers vibes and I loved that even though Landon “hated” Kailani, she was all he ever thought about! Even when she went away 🥺. And he was always defending her. It was adorable! I also loved how jealous and possessive/protective he was 🤭. He also kept a drawer in his room full of items that reminded him of her 🥹. Including the books they used to read together! Even her scrunchie and sweatshirt 🥺❤️
And I also felt sooo bad for Landon’s home life. His mom was such a bitch! I hated her! 😡 I was SCREAMING and laughing when Kailani punched her dumbass!!! 🤣🤣 Kailani’s mom on the other hand, I loved. She was so sweet towards Landon.
Certain scenes were so heartbreaking to read and made me a bit emotional as well.
This story was just crazy and a bit unbelievable at times but if you can suspend disbelief a bit, it’s such an enjoyable read!!!
That prologue was kind of sad and crazy but it had me feeling intrigued by what was going to happen next! I felt so bad for Kailani 😭
This has a bit of enemies to lovers vibes and I loved that even though Landon “hated” Kailani, she was all he ever thought about! Even when she went away 🥺. And he was always defending her. It was adorable! I also loved how jealous and possessive/protective he was 🤭. He also kept a drawer in his room full of items that reminded him of her 🥹. Including the books they used to read together! Even her scrunchie and sweatshirt 🥺❤️
And I also felt sooo bad for Landon’s home life. His mom was such a bitch! I hated her! 😡 I was SCREAMING and laughing when Kailani punched her dumbass!!! 🤣🤣 Kailani’s mom on the other hand, I loved. She was so sweet towards Landon.
Certain scenes were so heartbreaking to read and made me a bit emotional as well.
This story was just crazy and a bit unbelievable at times but if you can suspend disbelief a bit, it’s such an enjoyable read!!!
October 24, 2020
I haven't met an A. Zavaerlli's book I didn't love. She is differently my go-to and queen of Bully, enemies to lovers Romance. Pretty When She Cries exceeded my expectations. She created such a great bad boy and a sexy heroine. There may be some triggers for some people as Pretty when she cries does hit some sensitive subjects.
Pretty When She Cries is full of heartbreak, betrayal, angst, lies, obsession, misunderstandings, along with miscommunication. On the positive, it’s full of desire, love, passion, sexual chemistry, hotness, drama, and a twist you couldn't imagine.
Kailani and Landon take you on a rollercoaster; both are complex characters, Landon more so than Kail. Landon just wants to have some normalcy and is incredibly Intrigued by Kail, who doesn’t know who he is. After the summer of Kail tutoring him, they both have developed a friendship and little more than that that both have kept to themselves.
After a horrific night, Kail, heartbroken, leaves to live with her grandmother in Hawaii. Neither realizes they are both victims. Kail returns two years later in their senior year. She is not the same girl everyone remembers and now is a take no mercy sexy heroine and wants revenge. To say that Landin is shocked, she is back is an understatement. There is so much bad blood between the two; I had to keep questioning how they would have a HEA. My heart went out to both of them. Landon has never known what love is, and Kail is heartbroken and traumatized.
Pretty When She Cries, I will say, is a little darker than most of A.Zavarelli books, and I loved it. She has a way of hooking in from page one, and I was kept on my toes throughout the whole book. I love some of the side characters and hope to see them in the future.
I received an arc in exchange for my honest review
Pretty When She Cries is full of heartbreak, betrayal, angst, lies, obsession, misunderstandings, along with miscommunication. On the positive, it’s full of desire, love, passion, sexual chemistry, hotness, drama, and a twist you couldn't imagine.
Kailani and Landon take you on a rollercoaster; both are complex characters, Landon more so than Kail. Landon just wants to have some normalcy and is incredibly Intrigued by Kail, who doesn’t know who he is. After the summer of Kail tutoring him, they both have developed a friendship and little more than that that both have kept to themselves.
After a horrific night, Kail, heartbroken, leaves to live with her grandmother in Hawaii. Neither realizes they are both victims. Kail returns two years later in their senior year. She is not the same girl everyone remembers and now is a take no mercy sexy heroine and wants revenge. To say that Landin is shocked, she is back is an understatement. There is so much bad blood between the two; I had to keep questioning how they would have a HEA. My heart went out to both of them. Landon has never known what love is, and Kail is heartbroken and traumatized.
Pretty When She Cries, I will say, is a little darker than most of A.Zavarelli books, and I loved it. She has a way of hooking in from page one, and I was kept on my toes throughout the whole book. I love some of the side characters and hope to see them in the future.
I received an arc in exchange for my honest review
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October 28, 2020DNF and not going to rate because once again I can't learn my damn lesson and stay away from high school bully romances so that is 100% on me and it's not fair IMO to rate stuff when you are the moron that didn't take your own advice haha.
So anyway, teenagers are fucking annoying and honestly I am too old for this shit. This absolutely concludes my trials with bully romances this year. I think this is the 5th or 6th one and it's safe to say this genre just isn't for me... or any sort of HS romance for that matter. I just can't suspend my disbelief that 16-17 year olds act the way these kids do and maybe that's because I was a nerdy virgin at this age but anyway, onwards to some older men who really do tickle my fancy these days.
So anyway, teenagers are fucking annoying and honestly I am too old for this shit. This absolutely concludes my trials with bully romances this year. I think this is the 5th or 6th one and it's safe to say this genre just isn't for me... or any sort of HS romance for that matter. I just can't suspend my disbelief that 16-17 year olds act the way these kids do and maybe that's because I was a nerdy virgin at this age but anyway, onwards to some older men who really do tickle my fancy these days.
October 17, 2020
Holy heck! So much angsty goodness!!!
Wow! These characters really captured my attention and held it as they pulled me through their wild roller coaster ride of a relationship. Kailani grew from a sweet innocent teenager into a young woman that was fierce in her determination to find her own form of justice. I couldn’t stop reading as she maneuvered her way through her circumstances and dealt with her emotional responses to what life was throwing her way.
Landon was another wonderful Zaverelli hero. Young, but very much about the girl/woman in his heart. He’s had what some would think of as a cushy life but it’s not all it’s made out to be and my heart hurt so much for him. I loved that despite his youth, at the heart of him he was protective and possessive over Kail.
This has a lot of drama and angst not only from outside their relationship, but within as well. I never knew which way this story was going to go and each time I suspected what these characters were going to do, they switched it up.
With all the uncertainty with this couple, there were other characters that helped to push the storyline along as well as an intense chemistry between Kail and Landon that led to some sizzling scenes. All of that helped to make this a book I hated having to set aside even for a minute. This was a great YA read and I have to confess, I’m not a huge fan of this genre but I absolutely LOVED this one!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Wow! These characters really captured my attention and held it as they pulled me through their wild roller coaster ride of a relationship. Kailani grew from a sweet innocent teenager into a young woman that was fierce in her determination to find her own form of justice. I couldn’t stop reading as she maneuvered her way through her circumstances and dealt with her emotional responses to what life was throwing her way.
Landon was another wonderful Zaverelli hero. Young, but very much about the girl/woman in his heart. He’s had what some would think of as a cushy life but it’s not all it’s made out to be and my heart hurt so much for him. I loved that despite his youth, at the heart of him he was protective and possessive over Kail.
This has a lot of drama and angst not only from outside their relationship, but within as well. I never knew which way this story was going to go and each time I suspected what these characters were going to do, they switched it up.
With all the uncertainty with this couple, there were other characters that helped to push the storyline along as well as an intense chemistry between Kail and Landon that led to some sizzling scenes. All of that helped to make this a book I hated having to set aside even for a minute. This was a great YA read and I have to confess, I’m not a huge fan of this genre but I absolutely LOVED this one!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
November 16, 2020
2.5 stars
Okay so this book started of interesting, I was hooked until chapter 13 ngl. Till then it was a solid 4 star read for me. I even teared up a little bit when the queen bitch of the school was trying to humiliate Kail (h).
SPOILERS
So let’s summarize what all has happened till the end of chapter 12
1. Kail and Landon first meet during the summer after Landon transfers into Blackwood academy, taking a break from being a famous actor. The principal asked Kail to tutor him because she doesn’t have anything better to do. Exactly her words not mine.
2. They both hang out the entire summer, form a connection, Kail gets a little psycho and goes to his bathroom to smell his perfumes and put some of it on herself.
3. Then one day Landon has a party at his place and Kail finds a note on her door that’s an invitation from him. She goes there, gets drugged and ends up waking up between Landon and Carson. What made things worst is people were there taking pictures of her in bed with the guys so she freaks out and blames Landon and Carson and leaves the city and goes back to Hawaii.
4. 2 years later she is back and the girl she used to be is gone and is replaced with a strong girl persona. She acted that things didn’t bother her, stood up for herself and only when she was alone did she cry and vent out her frustrations. As she had already let them see her once at her lowest point (the party) she didn’t want that to happen again. Her plan was simple, to get revenge on everyone who wronged her. She also got a fake boyfriend (gay guy who she caught with the enemy schools player and blackmailed him).
5. Queen bitch (Audrey) tried her best to humiliate and embarrass Kail by making sure no one talks to her, ruining her cheerleading performance and getting her fake boyfriend to publicly humiliate her. Then came a point where Kail herself became a disgrace and stooped as low as the bitch and got her revenge on the fake boyfriend by exposing his sexuality to the entire school and going live and recording Audrey give a blowjob.
6. Also with regards to the relationship between the main characters, Landon doesn’t partake in bullying her, I honestly really liked him and his relationship with Kail. He just couldn’t stay away from her and used to sneak into her room, masturbate 😂 and would only leave if she kissed him, which for me was cute. He was sometimes verbally mean to her because he thought she was just like the rest who wanted something from him. Because according to him right after the party instead of listening to him she called his PR company and blackmailed that she would release the story to the press. The only reason she backed off was because they paid her too and she left for Hawaii.
I’m pretty sure I missed a lot more drama but if I added all of that this review would turn into an essay. And all of this happened till just the end of chapter 12.
Now Im here fully engrossed into all the drama that has been happening so far until I read “13” (that I just reached chapter 13) and I was like wait what. All of this has happened and I am just at chapter 13.......
Me: hmmmmm maybe this book only has 20ish chapters and now we just have to cover base with what actually happened the night of the party....”
*Checks table of contents and see’s the book has 35 chapters*
And now I’m here trying to figure out what more can there be??? And omg did the book turn into a tele-novella. I’m not even going to go into those details, let’s just skip to the funniest scene for me was when everything was revealed lmao
So apparently Audrey was the mastermind behind EVERYTHING because she was obsessed with Landon.
Revelation Time
The entire closet is a shrine to Killian O’Conner, the character I played on Blood River Legacy. Laminated photo montages cover every wall. Lines of script etched into the paint with what looks like a knife. Lists of female characters from the show with their names crossed out, and the word DIE written over them in bold marker.
The party plan being exposed by one of Audrey’s Goons
”It was all Audrey’s idea,” he says. “She stole the pills from her mom, dissolved them in water, and kept syringes in her purse. She was planning on Kail showing up that night. She kept ranting about seeing you two in town together the day before. She was hella pissed. She made us stay up all night, putting together a plan. She injected the solution into a few juice boxes and dumped some into the pitchers of beer on my tray. She knew you and Carson would drink those. I was just supposed to carry them. That’s all, bro. I swear.”
“Why?” I kneel and grab Wyatt by the shirt, dragging his face up to mine. “Why did she do it?” “For pictures,” he blurts. “She didn’t like Kailani, and she wanted to humiliate her. And she wanted to get on your dick, but she couldn’t get it up.”
Also let me point out Carson is also gay and has been in love with Landon that’s why he was part of Audrey’s plan too. Also Kail never called Landon’s PR company and blackmailed to release info to the press it was all Audrey.
After the revelation both Carson & Landon are about to leave Audrey’s house when
”What was that?” Carson’s head snaps to the side, and I hear it at the same time. There’s a thud, and then an ear-shattering scream. At the front of the house, the door slams open so hard it sounds like a thunderbolt. Carson and I are heading that way when Wyatt peels around the corner, clutching at his bloody shoulder. “The bitch fucking stabbed me!” he bellows. “She stabbed me!”
“Jesus,” Carson murmurs. “I think she’s going to fucking murder him.” We take off behind them, chasing them up the hill. Wyatt’s blood is splattered into the dirt beneath our feet, so he can’t be in good shape. As we round the corner, I can just make out the shadow of Wyatt’s back as he darts across the road. Audrey is hobbling right behind him, slicing her knife through the air. In a split second, lights flash around the bend. Tires squeal. A horn blares. It’s a logging truck skidding right at them. My brain barely registers it a second before Wyatt and Audrey splatter across the grill. There are two thuds, and then they disappear beneath the truck before the tires spit them back out onto the pavement like two boneless rag dolls.
When I read that scene I was reminded of mean girls and when Regina was hit by the bus 😂😂. Now the reason this book still got 2.5 stars is because of Landon and his relationship with Kail. He tried being a meanie but was a softie so, I really couldn’t hate him 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
The end.
Okay so this book started of interesting, I was hooked until chapter 13 ngl. Till then it was a solid 4 star read for me. I even teared up a little bit when the queen bitch of the school was trying to humiliate Kail (h).
SPOILERS
So let’s summarize what all has happened till the end of chapter 12
1. Kail and Landon first meet during the summer after Landon transfers into Blackwood academy, taking a break from being a famous actor. The principal asked Kail to tutor him because she doesn’t have anything better to do. Exactly her words not mine.
2. They both hang out the entire summer, form a connection, Kail gets a little psycho and goes to his bathroom to smell his perfumes and put some of it on herself.
3. Then one day Landon has a party at his place and Kail finds a note on her door that’s an invitation from him. She goes there, gets drugged and ends up waking up between Landon and Carson. What made things worst is people were there taking pictures of her in bed with the guys so she freaks out and blames Landon and Carson and leaves the city and goes back to Hawaii.
4. 2 years later she is back and the girl she used to be is gone and is replaced with a strong girl persona. She acted that things didn’t bother her, stood up for herself and only when she was alone did she cry and vent out her frustrations. As she had already let them see her once at her lowest point (the party) she didn’t want that to happen again. Her plan was simple, to get revenge on everyone who wronged her. She also got a fake boyfriend (gay guy who she caught with the enemy schools player and blackmailed him).
5. Queen bitch (Audrey) tried her best to humiliate and embarrass Kail by making sure no one talks to her, ruining her cheerleading performance and getting her fake boyfriend to publicly humiliate her. Then came a point where Kail herself became a disgrace and stooped as low as the bitch and got her revenge on the fake boyfriend by exposing his sexuality to the entire school and going live and recording Audrey give a blowjob.
6. Also with regards to the relationship between the main characters, Landon doesn’t partake in bullying her, I honestly really liked him and his relationship with Kail. He just couldn’t stay away from her and used to sneak into her room, masturbate 😂 and would only leave if she kissed him, which for me was cute. He was sometimes verbally mean to her because he thought she was just like the rest who wanted something from him. Because according to him right after the party instead of listening to him she called his PR company and blackmailed that she would release the story to the press. The only reason she backed off was because they paid her too and she left for Hawaii.
I’m pretty sure I missed a lot more drama but if I added all of that this review would turn into an essay. And all of this happened till just the end of chapter 12.
Now Im here fully engrossed into all the drama that has been happening so far until I read “13” (that I just reached chapter 13) and I was like wait what. All of this has happened and I am just at chapter 13.......
Me: hmmmmm maybe this book only has 20ish chapters and now we just have to cover base with what actually happened the night of the party....”
*Checks table of contents and see’s the book has 35 chapters*
And now I’m here trying to figure out what more can there be??? And omg did the book turn into a tele-novella. I’m not even going to go into those details, let’s just skip to the funniest scene for me was when everything was revealed lmao
So apparently Audrey was the mastermind behind EVERYTHING because she was obsessed with Landon.
Revelation Time
The entire closet is a shrine to Killian O’Conner, the character I played on Blood River Legacy. Laminated photo montages cover every wall. Lines of script etched into the paint with what looks like a knife. Lists of female characters from the show with their names crossed out, and the word DIE written over them in bold marker.
The party plan being exposed by one of Audrey’s Goons
”It was all Audrey’s idea,” he says. “She stole the pills from her mom, dissolved them in water, and kept syringes in her purse. She was planning on Kail showing up that night. She kept ranting about seeing you two in town together the day before. She was hella pissed. She made us stay up all night, putting together a plan. She injected the solution into a few juice boxes and dumped some into the pitchers of beer on my tray. She knew you and Carson would drink those. I was just supposed to carry them. That’s all, bro. I swear.”
“Why?” I kneel and grab Wyatt by the shirt, dragging his face up to mine. “Why did she do it?” “For pictures,” he blurts. “She didn’t like Kailani, and she wanted to humiliate her. And she wanted to get on your dick, but she couldn’t get it up.”
Also let me point out Carson is also gay and has been in love with Landon that’s why he was part of Audrey’s plan too. Also Kail never called Landon’s PR company and blackmailed to release info to the press it was all Audrey.
After the revelation both Carson & Landon are about to leave Audrey’s house when
”What was that?” Carson’s head snaps to the side, and I hear it at the same time. There’s a thud, and then an ear-shattering scream. At the front of the house, the door slams open so hard it sounds like a thunderbolt. Carson and I are heading that way when Wyatt peels around the corner, clutching at his bloody shoulder. “The bitch fucking stabbed me!” he bellows. “She stabbed me!”
“Jesus,” Carson murmurs. “I think she’s going to fucking murder him.” We take off behind them, chasing them up the hill. Wyatt’s blood is splattered into the dirt beneath our feet, so he can’t be in good shape. As we round the corner, I can just make out the shadow of Wyatt’s back as he darts across the road. Audrey is hobbling right behind him, slicing her knife through the air. In a split second, lights flash around the bend. Tires squeal. A horn blares. It’s a logging truck skidding right at them. My brain barely registers it a second before Wyatt and Audrey splatter across the grill. There are two thuds, and then they disappear beneath the truck before the tires spit them back out onto the pavement like two boneless rag dolls.
When I read that scene I was reminded of mean girls and when Regina was hit by the bus 😂😂. Now the reason this book still got 2.5 stars is because of Landon and his relationship with Kail. He tried being a meanie but was a softie so, I really couldn’t hate him 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
The end.
September 23, 2021
3.75 Stars
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s in the "Black Mountain Academy" world but it can be read as a standalone. It was another good read by this author. It’s a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers high school story and angsty. I have a major problem here and it’s that everything here is based on a misunderstanding! Everything could have been solved from the beginning only with some talking! Well, what can I say?! They are a bunch of high schoolers and it’s Zavarelli’s writing so I can’t complain here! All in all, I had a good time reading it and hope you enjoy it as well!
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s in the "Black Mountain Academy" world but it can be read as a standalone. It was another good read by this author. It’s a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers high school story and angsty. I have a major problem here and it’s that everything here is based on a misunderstanding! Everything could have been solved from the beginning only with some talking! Well, what can I say?! They are a bunch of high schoolers and it’s Zavarelli’s writing so I can’t complain here! All in all, I had a good time reading it and hope you enjoy it as well!
July 10, 2023
Pretty good!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💚💛
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😠☺️😋😉
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Kailani - she meets Landon Blackwood during the summer while working as his tutor at his mansion. Landon is an enigma to her, she sees him as a strange tortured boy who didn’t know his own value. She sees him as a guy who hates everyone, yet at the end of the summer he throws a huge party and invites her. Her bestie, Courtney was surprised that Kailani didn’t know that Landon was a god at Black Mountain Academy and one of the most famous faces of their generation, an actor who recently moved back to town.
The Story: After arriving at the party, Kailani sees all the people she knows from school and finds Landon holding court at the center of the party, the crows chanting the name of the famous vampire character he portrays. His eyes find Kailani’s in the crowd before a popular girl moves Kailani next to Landon where they are playing a game called Truth or Grope. Kailani is dared to go into a bedroom with Landon for 5 minutes. When she passes out in the bathroom, she wakes up to everyone at the party making fun of her, bruised naked body with sharpie words written all over her skin. With Landon and his friend Carson passed out in a bed with her.
The Hero: Landon - he thought Kailani set up what happened at that party. He believed she wanted to put out a story to the press about what happened and his lawyer and publicist got into the mix and paid her off before she turned tail and ran back to Hawaii. Two years later he is back at Black Mountain Academy for senior year. His mother is no better than Kailani, he emancipated himself at fifteen and now she only calls when she needs money in addition to the generous amount he gives her every month. If he doesn’t comply, she leaks stories about him to the press.
Kailani is back at Black Mountain Academy for senior year and she has changed. Her energy has changed from the sunshine and light she used to be to a darker and harder version of herself. She is fierce and is back for revenge. She puts on a good front and wears a mask, though the mask slips when she gets home. Kailani’s plans go to hell more often than not and she starts to change in order to get her revenge, but the change is not in a good way.
This book is told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Stefanie Kay and Neill Thorne. I don’t know that I have ever heard books by these two narrators before, but they do a good job. Stephanie has a soft feminine voice which I really enjoyed. Neill is also good and he has a deep but soft voice and was good at showing emotion through his voice.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💚💛
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😠☺️😋😉
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Kailani - she meets Landon Blackwood during the summer while working as his tutor at his mansion. Landon is an enigma to her, she sees him as a strange tortured boy who didn’t know his own value. She sees him as a guy who hates everyone, yet at the end of the summer he throws a huge party and invites her. Her bestie, Courtney was surprised that Kailani didn’t know that Landon was a god at Black Mountain Academy and one of the most famous faces of their generation, an actor who recently moved back to town.
The Story: After arriving at the party, Kailani sees all the people she knows from school and finds Landon holding court at the center of the party, the crows chanting the name of the famous vampire character he portrays. His eyes find Kailani’s in the crowd before a popular girl moves Kailani next to Landon where they are playing a game called Truth or Grope. Kailani is dared to go into a bedroom with Landon for 5 minutes. When she passes out in the bathroom, she wakes up to everyone at the party making fun of her, bruised naked body with sharpie words written all over her skin. With Landon and his friend Carson passed out in a bed with her.
The Hero: Landon - he thought Kailani set up what happened at that party. He believed she wanted to put out a story to the press about what happened and his lawyer and publicist got into the mix and paid her off before she turned tail and ran back to Hawaii. Two years later he is back at Black Mountain Academy for senior year. His mother is no better than Kailani, he emancipated himself at fifteen and now she only calls when she needs money in addition to the generous amount he gives her every month. If he doesn’t comply, she leaks stories about him to the press.
Kailani is back at Black Mountain Academy for senior year and she has changed. Her energy has changed from the sunshine and light she used to be to a darker and harder version of herself. She is fierce and is back for revenge. She puts on a good front and wears a mask, though the mask slips when she gets home. Kailani’s plans go to hell more often than not and she starts to change in order to get her revenge, but the change is not in a good way.
This book is told in multiple points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Stefanie Kay and Neill Thorne. I don’t know that I have ever heard books by these two narrators before, but they do a good job. Stephanie has a soft feminine voice which I really enjoyed. Neill is also good and he has a deep but soft voice and was good at showing emotion through his voice.
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October 19, 2020
3.5
I was iffy going into this one seeing as it's bully and I've been in the worst book mood ever, but I actually enjoyed it overall, though there was some annoyances. Zavarelli's writing is fantastic as always though with heros I always end up loving, despite some of their issues, which is the case with this hero. So, I shouldn't have worried so much about the whole bully aspect to it, because it really wasn't that bad.
It was a pretty tame bully book in comparison to others. There were some humiliation parts with the heroine, and I wish she could've been stronger about them, but luckily there weren't too many. I did feel like I was missing half the book though. I think we definitely needed some flashbacks to really explain how their relationship was before everything went down. It would have definitely explained why they both felt so betrayed with each other, instead of them "hating" in lust most of the book.
I couldn't really understand their hate for each other that much either. They supposedly have strong feelings for each other, but there was always some drama or miscommunication that would turn them against each other, instead of actually ever talking about it and I was just so over it. Literally every piece of drama was them believing lies and running away from the other. Or others meddling into their relationship causing distrust between them, and they were just way too quick to believe it all instead of questioning anything. (If hate miscommunication, maybe skip this one😅)
Besides those issues though, it had a decent story, and I'm glad the hero wasn't a manho where he is throwing ow in her face like most bully books have these days. I can't say I necessarily cared for how he let some women touch him (he does throw them off a couple of times) or continue to text him without blocking them, but at least he didn't lead them on or encourage their advances so that's something I guess🤷 also, the main antagonist that causes all the drama is a wannabe ow who he had never been with, so there's another plus.
Overall, not a bad story at all. I did enjoy it, never skimmed, and finished it pretty quick. Some of the pacing was off, the loose ends were tied up a little too clean for me, and the plot devices got on my nerves at times, but I did like the couple together and their cute moments when they aren't fighting, so I just wish there was a little more of that and less drama.
Safety:
Wannabe OW is main antagonist
Virgin h/Virgin H (would have liked a little more explanation on this though)
No OM drama/some wannabe OW drama but he never encourages advances.
2 year separation in the very beginning
*ARC Provided In Exchange For A Honest Review*
I was iffy going into this one seeing as it's bully and I've been in the worst book mood ever, but I actually enjoyed it overall, though there was some annoyances. Zavarelli's writing is fantastic as always though with heros I always end up loving, despite some of their issues, which is the case with this hero. So, I shouldn't have worried so much about the whole bully aspect to it, because it really wasn't that bad.
It was a pretty tame bully book in comparison to others. There were some humiliation parts with the heroine, and I wish she could've been stronger about them, but luckily there weren't too many. I did feel like I was missing half the book though. I think we definitely needed some flashbacks to really explain how their relationship was before everything went down. It would have definitely explained why they both felt so betrayed with each other, instead of them "hating" in lust most of the book.
I couldn't really understand their hate for each other that much either. They supposedly have strong feelings for each other, but there was always some drama or miscommunication that would turn them against each other, instead of actually ever talking about it and I was just so over it. Literally every piece of drama was them believing lies and running away from the other. Or others meddling into their relationship causing distrust between them, and they were just way too quick to believe it all instead of questioning anything. (If hate miscommunication, maybe skip this one😅)
Besides those issues though, it had a decent story, and I'm glad the hero wasn't a manho where he is throwing ow in her face like most bully books have these days. I can't say I necessarily cared for how he let some women touch him (he does throw them off a couple of times) or continue to text him without blocking them, but at least he didn't lead them on or encourage their advances so that's something I guess🤷 also, the main antagonist that causes all the drama is a wannabe ow who he had never been with, so there's another plus.
Overall, not a bad story at all. I did enjoy it, never skimmed, and finished it pretty quick. Some of the pacing was off, the loose ends were tied up a little too clean for me, and the plot devices got on my nerves at times, but I did like the couple together and their cute moments when they aren't fighting, so I just wish there was a little more of that and less drama.
Safety:
Wannabe OW is main antagonist
Virgin h/Virgin H (would have liked a little more explanation on this though)
No OM drama/some wannabe OW drama but he never encourages advances.
2 year separation in the very beginning
*ARC Provided In Exchange For A Honest Review*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2022
This is my first read by A. Zavarelli and unfortunately I didn't like it. For the most part it wasn't that bad but the prologue was really intense (check TW) and the last 15% or so is full of drama that I had to skim-read the last few pages.
The main characters were ok I guess but they couldn't communicate at all. They just assumed what the other had done and they didn't speak to each other for days (even years after the incident in the prologue).
The writing style was ok but since the other books in the series are written by different authors I won't continue reading it. Maybe sometime I'll give the author another chance though. 2 ⭐
February 3, 2022
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
“You are so fucking pretty.” The words come out all gravelly. “Even when you cry.” He kisses the tears away.
“Pretty When she Cries” is a standalone by the Best selling author A. Zavarelli . This book is a part of the Black Mountain Academy series and is told in dual perspectives. Get ready to meet landon and Kail.
This author is my all time favourite , I never hesitate to one click her books! There is absolutely no doubt in my mind when it comes to her , because they are amazing every damn time! This book was another example of that.
The first time Kail meets her neighbour was when she was assigned to tutor him during the summer break. She thought of them to be some dumb jock , what she didn’t ecpect was a man as hot as a model to greet her on his door. Landon was very confused to see the pretty girl holding a plate of pineapples on his door. She thought he was another one of those creepy clingy girls who wanted his attention. Imagine his surprise when he came to know that she really didn’t know who he was. She was someone who saw him as he was and not because of how much money he had or his social status. And that is what made her the most favourite for him. Soon their tutoring sessions developed into something more and they almost developed a friendship. That is until it was all messed up.
Something horrible happened to them both , something that led them to betray each other. Kail now hated Landon and Landon the same. Unable to handle the pressure and Trauma she ran away from the town for 2 years. Now after 2 years she is back and she is not the same. There is no way that Landon was going to hurt her again. This time it was his turn to pay for his sins. Landon was even more furious. The girl who had haunted his dreams for so many years was now finally back. But she was not the same. Gone was the girl who smiled shyly at him and in place was a girl who didn’t hesitate to put him in his place. He was pretty sure that he liked this version of hers, that didn’t mean she doesn’t have to pay for what she did. She made him believe that she was different , but instead she was the same as all other girls. The one who wanted his money and fame. And she was going to regret lying to him.
A mere night changed the whole path of these two characters and I loved that despite the hate , these two loved each other so much! The attraction they both had was hot off the charts. This book had me hooked right from the start and no matter how much I tried , I couldn't stop reading this book once I started! I devoured this one in one sitting and It has to be my most favorite book of the black mountain academy series! I wouldn;t say that this was a bully romance book , But it definitely had a lot of angst. The main protagonists never actually bullied each other , But had a lot of misunderstandings and the way they got through that was the whole story. The suspense element of the book was pretty good and I loved the main characters a lot! Specially Landon , that man was so amazing! The way he looked after kail was so heart wrenching for me to see and every scene in which he made an appearance automatically became a favourite one of mine!
A definite recommendation to all the dark Romance book lovers , if you are into themes like high school romance and second chance , then this book is something that you should not miss at any cost!
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June 25, 2021
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 3 stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
it’s not a bad book yall, it just didn’t make me feel. It felt stale most of the time. I felt numb reading it and maybe it was a “me” thing, but that’s what happened. also, the miscommunication was frustrating af.
i was going to give it 3.25 stars but the way the villain was taken care of was... too movie-ish for me lmao. it was quite literally THAT scene in the movie Mean Girls.
the ending was cute, though. And I liked how their family was built. Landon was a softie, I thought this was a bully romance but nope, it was an enemies to lovers which I liked.
it’s not a bad book yall, it just didn’t make me feel. It felt stale most of the time. I felt numb reading it and maybe it was a “me” thing, but that’s what happened. also, the miscommunication was frustrating af.
i was going to give it 3.25 stars but the way the villain was taken care of was... too movie-ish for me lmao. it was quite literally THAT scene in the movie Mean Girls.
the ending was cute, though. And I liked how their family was built. Landon was a softie, I thought this was a bully romance but nope, it was an enemies to lovers which I liked.
February 28, 2021
✰ 3 'Little Pineapple' Stars ✰
-ˏˋ My Overall Thought(s) ˎˊ-
Seriously, WTF is going on at this damn school. We've got a hero who loves breaking, entering, and jerking it on the heroines bed, we have a heroine who got her fake gay ex-boyfriend sent to a gay conversion camp, the villain is. . .well she went through this very elaborate plan to date the hero, and an ending that involves stabbing, murder, and vehicular manslaughter.
ummmm 🤨✨🙄 -
I didn't realize that Pretty When She Cries was loosely set in the same world as the melodramatic masterpiece that is, Hate Me . Now that I have that little nugget of info I'm both amused and entirely unsurprised. This book reveled in its dramatic nature and I'm not gonna lie, I had fun with the drama as well! Ultimately, what made me rate PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES three stars was the. . .wonderful? heroine of this book, Kailani. She was. . .well she was a heroine. Her plans were. . .plans, I wouldn't call them good plans though. The way she treated Landon was plain old weird, and overall I'm of the belief she made E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G 10x harder for herself just, because. More than that though she was mean to my marshmallowy cinnamon roll Landon, and that was a the real deal breaker for me.
Kailani jumped to conclusions WAYYYY to often and freaking sucked at even attempting communication. In addition she had a sweet, thoughtful, broody, marshmallow of man in Landon, and she was constantly doubting him. I understood in the beginning why she doubted him, but once things got sorted out? no. you lost me. Let it be known that all three of those stars are for Landon. He reminded me so much of Knox from Dear Ava , and once my brain the connection between the two characters I wanted to protect Landon at all costs.
As entertained as I was by the drama I think it's why I couldn't rate this book higher. The "big reveals" and "plot-twists" got to be a bit much for me. The romance between Kailani and Landon had major potential, but it ended up floundering because of all the background noise *cough* the drama *cough*. Also as stated above I was not the biggest fan of how Kailani handled her life. Overall, PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES was a fun middle of the road N/A romance. If you like drama, high school, dramatichigh schools academies, marshmallow heroes, meh heroines, and crazy as f*ck antagonists, then check this book out, ASAP.
“You’re insane.” A pretty blush spreads down her neck. “You know that, right?"
“‘With long intervals of horrible sanity.’”
-ˏˋ My Overall Thought(s) ˎˊ-
W T F, is going on at Black Mountain Academy✨
Seriously, WTF is going on at this damn school. We've got a hero who loves breaking, entering, and jerking it on the heroines bed, we have a heroine who got her fake gay ex-boyfriend sent to a gay conversion camp, the villain is. . .well she went through this very elaborate plan to date the hero, and an ending that involves stabbing, murder, and vehicular manslaughter.
ummmm 🤨✨🙄 -
I didn't realize that Pretty When She Cries was loosely set in the same world as the melodramatic masterpiece that is, Hate Me . Now that I have that little nugget of info I'm both amused and entirely unsurprised. This book reveled in its dramatic nature and I'm not gonna lie, I had fun with the drama as well! Ultimately, what made me rate PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES three stars was the. . .wonderful? heroine of this book, Kailani. She was. . .well she was a heroine. Her plans were. . .plans, I wouldn't call them good plans though. The way she treated Landon was plain old weird, and overall I'm of the belief she made E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G 10x harder for herself just, because. More than that though she was mean to my marshmallowy cinnamon roll Landon, and that was a the real deal breaker for me.
I can’t even speak. There are no words. I throw the box at his feet and dart away. He calls after me in frustration. “Kail, wait. Please.” But I’m already gone.
Kailani jumped to conclusions WAYYYY to often and freaking sucked at even attempting communication. In addition she had a sweet, thoughtful, broody, marshmallow of man in Landon, and she was constantly doubting him. I understood in the beginning why she doubted him, but once things got sorted out? no. you lost me. Let it be known that all three of those stars are for Landon. He reminded me so much of Knox from Dear Ava , and once my brain the connection between the two characters I wanted to protect Landon at all costs.
“Kail, you made me care,” he whispers against my skin. “I’ve been a dick, and I screwed this up a million different ways, but I need you to understand this. I… care.” I think that’s Landon’s version of I love you.
ugh, my heart ❤︎
As entertained as I was by the drama I think it's why I couldn't rate this book higher. The "big reveals" and "plot-twists" got to be a bit much for me. The romance between Kailani and Landon had major potential, but it ended up floundering because of all the background noise *cough* the drama *cough*. Also as stated above I was not the biggest fan of how Kailani handled her life. Overall, PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES was a fun middle of the road N/A romance. If you like drama, high school, dramatic
Her bony ass is duct-taped to a chair in her bedroom, and she’s squealing like a stuck pig every time I ask her a simple fucking question.
yup. . .it was that kinda book ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
October 26, 2020
“You wish I thought of you.”
“Enjoy fingering yourself tonight while you remember that kiss.” I grab the doorknob and turn it. “Oh, and by the way, I jerked off in your bed.”
I stayed up until 3:30 am reading this book because I couldn't fucking stop! OMG the angst! The heat! The twists! The turns! The tension!! I wanted to throw my kindle so many times. AND LET ME TELL YOU LANDON IS SO AMAZING AND HOT AND BROKEN AND I AM NOT OVER HIM BECAUSE HE IS LIFE! Even when he was an asshole! Ahh young love is so epic!! This is one of my new fave enemies-to-lovers romances and I AM ALREADY screaming at Ashleigh Zavarelli to write more in this world! The secondary characters stole my heart too!
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PRETTY WHEN SHE CRIES by A. Zavarelli is live now and available in Kindle Unlimited!
AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2Hxjfk7
AMAZON CA: https://amzn.to/2Tosupt
UNIVERSAL: mybook.to/PWSCKindle
October 24, 2020
Pretty When You Cry
*arc generously provided by the promo team in exchange for an honest review*
What’s this book about? (I'm trying to give as little spoilers as possible)
She didn't know who he was when they met. When she finds out, everything changes.
This whole book was a mood. I related to Kailani from her first appearance. I loved her, and I wanted her safe! NOT OUR GIRL!!!!! Ugh I wanted to punch so many characters!!! There are lots of snappy comebacks and shocking moments. The chemistry between the leads was awesome. She gave me Saffron leading lady vibes, but the on the side of the spectrum that I can tolerate without feeling like a doormat. LOL. I love both authors, so that's no shade. Landon????? He was bad, but damn, was he hot. I felt for Kailani. Her man was baaaaaaaaad. Uff. They were cute together. Toward the end there were lots of twists and turns. Overall, I was highly entertained, pleased, and emotionally attached. The Black Mountain Academy hasn't disappointed so far!
I recommend this story to lovers of angst, drama, heat, enemies to lovers vibes, and a whole lot of high school bullying.
ORIGINAL COMMENT
Lovely read. Zavarelli doesn't disappoint. Mykonos sucks tho lol
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October 24, 2020
finally a good one out of the batch.. anyways why did this book have two epilogues???
Read
November 6, 2020Unfortunately, I just couldn't with this one...*sigh*
It pains me to say this, cause it's one of Ashleigh Zavarelli's, but I didn't, I couldn't connect with either the characters or the plot...
I mean, I found no sense in any...and it kills me to say this but I can't finish reading it....
So, DNF @50%
It pains me to say this, cause it's one of Ashleigh Zavarelli's, but I didn't, I couldn't connect with either the characters or the plot...
I mean, I found no sense in any...and it kills me to say this but I can't finish reading it....
So, DNF @50%
October 26, 2020
Lots of OW DRAMA and in the end we get to see how mentally psychotic the OW. Causes a lot of drama between them and especially both of the hero and heroine didn’t trust each other enough to believe that the OW will do such thing. The hero didn’t fight enough for the heroine in the beginning, only in the end which is frustrating to see. The heroine is weak and not strong enough.... many pushing away too from both hero and heroine. both are still childish... I didn’t get to see the big great romance because of the unnecessary drama that goes on with the OW and other stupid drama. For me, this book is not for me.
The hero was pretty selfish too, he didn’t want the heroine to kiss someone else but he allow himself to be touched by a lot of OW surrounding him and when the heroine see it he just allows her to see him like that without any explanation or even say sorry...
The heroine was like the only one who is obsessed and likes the hero so much rather than the hero himself. The heroine always plays the card of HE’S MINE MINE MINE. Rather than the hero saying that which is annoying because i want the hero to be like that, not the heroine. Argh.....
The hero said he likes the heroine at the first day and first time he saw her but when she went to visit him, he’s with some girls and he saw the heroine but didn’t really make a move to her saying hey what you’re doing here? I can explain. Nope. He was really enjoying the heroine watch him with someone else.
For me the hero was not fighting enough for her....
And he was willingly believe a lie that was told about the heroine from someone else without finding out himself that the heroine really did it or not.
And that sucks so bad....
The hero was pretty selfish too, he didn’t want the heroine to kiss someone else but he allow himself to be touched by a lot of OW surrounding him and when the heroine see it he just allows her to see him like that without any explanation or even say sorry...
The heroine was like the only one who is obsessed and likes the hero so much rather than the hero himself. The heroine always plays the card of HE’S MINE MINE MINE. Rather than the hero saying that which is annoying because i want the hero to be like that, not the heroine. Argh.....
The hero said he likes the heroine at the first day and first time he saw her but when she went to visit him, he’s with some girls and he saw the heroine but didn’t really make a move to her saying hey what you’re doing here? I can explain. Nope. He was really enjoying the heroine watch him with someone else.
For me the hero was not fighting enough for her....
And he was willingly believe a lie that was told about the heroine from someone else without finding out himself that the heroine really did it or not.
And that sucks so bad....
November 6, 2021
Angst-filled & almost non-stop through the book due to the evil & unpredictable machinations of a manipulative head-cheerleader OW who'd been obsessed with H and who stopped at nothing to destroy h & get H in whatever way possible (including almost-raping him while he was drugged out & was only saved by his inability to get an erection while unconscious). Good writing/pacing/romance. Mostly unpredictable plot but wished the OW's end wasn't as quick & convenient. The problem wasn't H&h's romance (since both had an obssessive-stalkery fascination for each other since they 1st met when then-15yo h was sent to tutor H who she didn't recognize as a famous child actor & he was amazed that she didn't) but the jealousy of OW & her crew who she ordered to do her bidding.
Good sexual tension & detailed S scenes but only a couple scenes and most are hinted at. Loved that both H&h were virgins with each other & that H could withstand the constant temptations of naked/nearly-naked girls trying to seduce him because all he wanted was h, even when he thought she deceived him.
Good character development with 18yo child-actor popular h.s.-senior H who was repeatedly emotionally & physically abused by his money-hungry druggie mother yet he still reached out to help her with rehab & gave her money while setting limits and still cautiously sought out love & normalcy thru 17yo h.s.-senior h's parents & h. H transformed from a cold, deadened, ruthless & prideful bully to a more open, affectionate & caring man. h's character development wasn't as good. She started out an open & kind person to a vengeful & mean one and it took some time & her parents' love & support & her finally telling them the truth of how badly she was bullied 2 years ago until now for her to get back her old self.
Loved the double epilogue (3 months later & 2 years later) that affirmed H&h's great love for each other as they spent a couple years traveling together & loved that H proposed marriage & he already planned how many kids he wanted with h & even their names. Loved H's OTT stalkery obsession with h to install cameras to spy on her pool-house apartment and his keeping her stuff and also love his protective possessive-claimy “mine” alpha-ness over h once he found out that she didn't lie to him after all or take the hush-money. H groveled to show how sorry he was to misjudge h the past 2 years and to not stop the bullying she was frequently subjected to (i.e., daily gifts in her locker, he went after the people involved in hurting h, he gave his mom a final ultimatum to go to rehab or he's completely done with her because his mom was starting to include h in her trouble-making schemes). Believable HEA.
Good sexual tension & detailed S scenes but only a couple scenes and most are hinted at. Loved that both H&h were virgins with each other & that H could withstand the constant temptations of naked/nearly-naked girls trying to seduce him because all he wanted was h, even when he thought she deceived him.
Good character development with 18yo child-actor popular h.s.-senior H who was repeatedly emotionally & physically abused by his money-hungry druggie mother yet he still reached out to help her with rehab & gave her money while setting limits and still cautiously sought out love & normalcy thru 17yo h.s.-senior h's parents & h. H transformed from a cold, deadened, ruthless & prideful bully to a more open, affectionate & caring man. h's character development wasn't as good. She started out an open & kind person to a vengeful & mean one and it took some time & her parents' love & support & her finally telling them the truth of how badly she was bullied 2 years ago until now for her to get back her old self.
Loved the double epilogue (3 months later & 2 years later) that affirmed H&h's great love for each other as they spent a couple years traveling together & loved that H proposed marriage & he already planned how many kids he wanted with h & even their names. Loved H's OTT stalkery obsession with h to install cameras to spy on her pool-house apartment and his keeping her stuff and also love his protective possessive-claimy “mine” alpha-ness over h once he found out that she didn't lie to him after all or take the hush-money. H groveled to show how sorry he was to misjudge h the past 2 years and to not stop the bullying she was frequently subjected to (i.e., daily gifts in her locker, he went after the people involved in hurting h, he gave his mom a final ultimatum to go to rehab or he's completely done with her because his mom was starting to include h in her trouble-making schemes). Believable HEA.
October 24, 2020
This is not my usual genre or typical read, but I am an avid fan of Ashleigh's work and would seriously read anything she wrote even if it was written on toilet paper. Sometimes it's not necessarily the story itself you fall in love with, it's the author's storytelling. The author's ability to draw you in and keep you hanging with just the right amount of wonder. Something about the author's way with words have you keep turning each page eager for more. That is what I loved about this book.
Although I could not relate to her characters or even necessarily like them, I wanted to hear about their journey regardless. Because I wanted to know where Ashleigh would take them. How she would mold them, and in the end, resolve them. That's the magic of a good storyteller. That ability to capture their audience and then keep their attention to the very end. And that is precisely what she does.
This story had a very After by Anna Todd Vibe, so anyone who loved that story will enjoy this too. You don't have to be a young adult to engage with it, but keep that in mind whilst your reading if you are used to maturer characters. Overall I enjoyed the book and excited to see what Ashleigh has for us next.
Although I could not relate to her characters or even necessarily like them, I wanted to hear about their journey regardless. Because I wanted to know where Ashleigh would take them. How she would mold them, and in the end, resolve them. That's the magic of a good storyteller. That ability to capture their audience and then keep their attention to the very end. And that is precisely what she does.
This story had a very After by Anna Todd Vibe, so anyone who loved that story will enjoy this too. You don't have to be a young adult to engage with it, but keep that in mind whilst your reading if you are used to maturer characters. Overall I enjoyed the book and excited to see what Ashleigh has for us next.
March 11, 2021
was this the best book i ever read? no, but it was damn entertaining
me when he jerked off on her loofah, and she didn't care!
me when he jerked off on her loofah, and she didn't care!
October 10, 2022
Alla Black Mountain l’affascinante Landon veniva idolatrato da tutti. Chiunque avesse a che fare con lui ne veniva rapito, solo Kailani ne era attratta perché aveva intravisto il suo animo tormentato, e aveva deciso senza alcun dubbio di poter essere la sua cura.
Era stata in grado di vedere al di là della facciata che il ragazzo mostrava a tutti nella scuola per ricchi rampolli che entrambi frequentavano, ma le cose non erano andate come lei aveva previsto.
Anzi, Landon si era preso gioco di lei in un modo orribile. O quantomeno era questo che aveva dimostrato, con freddezza e cattiveria.
🖋���Si tratta di uno sport romance Young adult ben scritto e coinvolgente, che racconta una storia d’amore fresca e giovanile ostacolata però da mille impedimenti, segreti e bugie, ma soprattutto da macchinazioni e gesti di vendetta che metteranno i protagonisti l’uno contro l’altro.
Le scene hot sono presenti, come anche i tanti momenti di commozione, come ad esempio quelli riguardanti la vita di Landon, che ci fanno avvertire tutta la sua sofferenza e solitudine.
Un’autrice che leggo sempre con piacere perché riesce a catturare la mia attenzione, coinvolgendomi nelle sue storie con entusiasmo.
*Ringrazio la CE per la collaborazione e la copia ARC in Anteprima
Era stata in grado di vedere al di là della facciata che il ragazzo mostrava a tutti nella scuola per ricchi rampolli che entrambi frequentavano, ma le cose non erano andate come lei aveva previsto.
Anzi, Landon si era preso gioco di lei in un modo orribile. O quantomeno era questo che aveva dimostrato, con freddezza e cattiveria.
🖋���Si tratta di uno sport romance Young adult ben scritto e coinvolgente, che racconta una storia d’amore fresca e giovanile ostacolata però da mille impedimenti, segreti e bugie, ma soprattutto da macchinazioni e gesti di vendetta che metteranno i protagonisti l’uno contro l’altro.
Le scene hot sono presenti, come anche i tanti momenti di commozione, come ad esempio quelli riguardanti la vita di Landon, che ci fanno avvertire tutta la sua sofferenza e solitudine.
Un’autrice che leggo sempre con piacere perché riesce a catturare la mia attenzione, coinvolgendomi nelle sue storie con entusiasmo.
*Ringrazio la CE per la collaborazione e la copia ARC in Anteprima
January 11, 2021
I enjoyed this story, it wasn't great but it was good. As a couple, I really liked Landon & Kailani together. It was supposed to a bully romance, but Landon was actually never really the bully. I wish we got more of their story from the beginning of when they first met. I don't think the time jump was needed, everything should've taken place the same year. It would have made better sense. I will say I did not like the ending, some of the things that happened in this book were a bit extra in my opinion. Even though they were in high school, some of the things going on at this school were a bit much. This gave me Mean Girl vibes all the way.
October 20, 2020
I was completely hooked from the shocking prologue and I absolutely loved this story. Landon and Kailani are complicated. Their stories are interwoven and their relationship is complex. They started as acquaintances and one night turned them into enemies. Things get heated when those lines between love and hate become obliterated.
Kailani was just supposed to tutor the guy next door. She had no idea he was a big deal. She helped him for weeks, never knowing who he was. Then one night at a party changed their relationship. He wasn't just the new guy in town who needed to catch up on his school work, he was famous and she was clueless.
A couple of drinks and she remembers nothing. And when she wakes up, her life has been forever changed. Faced with a devastating realization, Kailani flees to live with her grandmother. She didn't let anyone explain. She was humiliated and in shock. She needed to lick her wounds and re-enforce her walls.
Two years have passed and Kailani is ready to face the past head on. The past includes Landon, in all his famous and brooding glory, and she wants her revenge. Nothing is that simple. Things aren't what they seem and Landon may not be as bad as she thought. Someone is pulling all their strings and the outcome won't be pretty.
A suspenseful read with heat that is off the charts. This couple struggled with the past and discovering the truth. Love would not come easy. They would have to fight every step of the way. It was easy to immerse yourself in their high school drama as it played out. Landon was a tortured soul searching for a family and someone to truly love him. Kailani had a loving family, but she became consumed by her pain and lost herself there for a bit. Ultimately she will figure things out and remember who she is at her core. This is bully romance when taken to the extreme. Enjoy the ride.
Kailani was just supposed to tutor the guy next door. She had no idea he was a big deal. She helped him for weeks, never knowing who he was. Then one night at a party changed their relationship. He wasn't just the new guy in town who needed to catch up on his school work, he was famous and she was clueless.
A couple of drinks and she remembers nothing. And when she wakes up, her life has been forever changed. Faced with a devastating realization, Kailani flees to live with her grandmother. She didn't let anyone explain. She was humiliated and in shock. She needed to lick her wounds and re-enforce her walls.
Two years have passed and Kailani is ready to face the past head on. The past includes Landon, in all his famous and brooding glory, and she wants her revenge. Nothing is that simple. Things aren't what they seem and Landon may not be as bad as she thought. Someone is pulling all their strings and the outcome won't be pretty.
A suspenseful read with heat that is off the charts. This couple struggled with the past and discovering the truth. Love would not come easy. They would have to fight every step of the way. It was easy to immerse yourself in their high school drama as it played out. Landon was a tortured soul searching for a family and someone to truly love him. Kailani had a loving family, but she became consumed by her pain and lost herself there for a bit. Ultimately she will figure things out and remember who she is at her core. This is bully romance when taken to the extreme. Enjoy the ride.
November 5, 2020
W T F
It’s a shame that this author is such an incredible writer. The way she wields the English language and develops her characters is a thing of beauty indeed. But holy f*ck the over the top melodrama, the plot lines that got more ridiculous and mind numbingly dumb with every page turned, negated any positive impressions.
This story was disturbing AF in that it took a very traumatic experience that many girls have experienced, and flung romantic fantastical b*llshit over it, where all was an illusion and of course true love saves the day. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such violent revulsion for a book before.
It’s a shame that this author is such an incredible writer. The way she wields the English language and develops her characters is a thing of beauty indeed. But holy f*ck the over the top melodrama, the plot lines that got more ridiculous and mind numbingly dumb with every page turned, negated any positive impressions.
This story was disturbing AF in that it took a very traumatic experience that many girls have experienced, and flung romantic fantastical b*llshit over it, where all was an illusion and of course true love saves the day. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such violent revulsion for a book before.
November 13, 2020
I liked how the book opens up, it was dark and intriguing and I also liked how Kailini go back and become this new persona a badass.
As for the hero welp he has tendency to run whenever confrontation emanate instead of actually having a decent amount of conversation, I find it repulsive.
Then somewhere along the line, I got lost and bored with the antics. I love A. Zavarelli books and writing style, she's written a favorable Dark Romances, alas this book wasn't just for me.
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