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Only the Pretty Lies
A love story about breaking painful legacies.
Convention doesn’t carry much weight in Alder Creek. It doesn’t in Amoris Westmore’s family either. Daughter of a massage therapist and a pothead artist, inheritor of her grandmother’s vinyl collection, and blissfully entering her senior year in high school, Amoris never wants to leave her progressive hometown. Why should she?
Everything changes when Jamison Rush moves in next door. Jamison was Amoris’s first crush, and their last goodbye still stings. But Jamison stirs more than bittersweet memories. One of the few Black students in Alder Creek, Jamison sees Amoris’s idyllic town through different eyes. He encourages Amoris to look a little closer, too. When Jamison discovers a racist mural at Alder Creek High, Amoris’s worldview is turned upside down.
Now Amoris must decide where she stands and whom she stands by, threatening her love for the boy who stole her heart years ago. Maybe Alder Creek isn’t the town Amoris thinks it is. She’s certainly no longer the girl she used to be.
Convention doesn’t carry much weight in Alder Creek. It doesn’t in Amoris Westmore’s family either. Daughter of a massage therapist and a pothead artist, inheritor of her grandmother’s vinyl collection, and blissfully entering her senior year in high school, Amoris never wants to leave her progressive hometown. Why should she?
Everything changes when Jamison Rush moves in next door. Jamison was Amoris’s first crush, and their last goodbye still stings. But Jamison stirs more than bittersweet memories. One of the few Black students in Alder Creek, Jamison sees Amoris’s idyllic town through different eyes. He encourages Amoris to look a little closer, too. When Jamison discovers a racist mural at Alder Creek High, Amoris’s worldview is turned upside down.
Now Amoris must decide where she stands and whom she stands by, threatening her love for the boy who stole her heart years ago. Maybe Alder Creek isn’t the town Amoris thinks it is. She’s certainly no longer the girl she used to be.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2021
565 people are currently reading
3310 people want to read
About the author
Rebekah Crane
10 books607 followersRebekah Crane is the author of The Odds of Loving Grover Cleveland and other young-adult novels. She found a passion for this genre while studying secondary English education at Ohio University. She is a former high school English teacher, a yoga instructor, and the mother of two girls. After living and teaching in six different cities, Rebekah finally settled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to write novels and work on screenplays. She now spends her days tucked behind a laptop at seventy-five hundred feet, where the altitude only enhances the writing experience.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
September 13, 2021
It’s thought provoking, fast pacing, easy read to get invested! I mostly enjoy YA novels because seeing things from their perspectives we can learn a lot from them and revisit our youth, remembering our choices we made and how we evolved.
The story takes place in small town named Alder Creek and told by Amoris Westmore: senior in high school, living with her eccentric family. But interestingly Amoris loves her town and she never thinks to leave the place. She gets startled when she finds out her first crush Jamison Rush moved to next door with his mother,planning to apply for the state tuition for being able to go to the college he dreams of.
As they become close again, Amoris realizes Jamison sees her lovely town from different perspective. There are still some black students at Alder Creek high school but after Jamison’s discovery of racist mural at Alder Creek High, Amoris’ worldwide completely changes. She starts looking at the people, their beliefs, manners, motives, actions from different eye.
At some point I got a little frustrated about Jamison’s acts around Amoris. She tries so hard to empathize with his problems but he acted harsh and blamed on her being clueless about what’s happening around her. That was a little unfair for her.
Throughout Amoris’ journey, it was definitely satisfying to see how her character changed, getting more mature, seeing things with different point of view!
Overall: it was soft, engaging read with great character development which earned my full four stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Skyscape for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
The story takes place in small town named Alder Creek and told by Amoris Westmore: senior in high school, living with her eccentric family. But interestingly Amoris loves her town and she never thinks to leave the place. She gets startled when she finds out her first crush Jamison Rush moved to next door with his mother,planning to apply for the state tuition for being able to go to the college he dreams of.
As they become close again, Amoris realizes Jamison sees her lovely town from different perspective. There are still some black students at Alder Creek high school but after Jamison’s discovery of racist mural at Alder Creek High, Amoris’ worldwide completely changes. She starts looking at the people, their beliefs, manners, motives, actions from different eye.
At some point I got a little frustrated about Jamison’s acts around Amoris. She tries so hard to empathize with his problems but he acted harsh and blamed on her being clueless about what’s happening around her. That was a little unfair for her.
Throughout Amoris’ journey, it was definitely satisfying to see how her character changed, getting more mature, seeing things with different point of view!
Overall: it was soft, engaging read with great character development which earned my full four stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Skyscape for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
April 13, 2021
What worked: beautiful messages within the story, the portrayal of family dynamics
What didn't: everyone having weird names, 50 issues in one book
What didn't: everyone having weird names, 50 issues in one book
April 11, 2021
It's a young adult book, with a high school female senior as first person narrator. That detracted for me, but I'm not a targeted reader being 70+ and male. Nonetheless, on the whole, I found the novel a worthwhile read.
Some of my favorite insights :
1. “People want a witness to their pain,” Rayne said. “Not a judge.”
2. And why am I supposed to live up to her expectations, and not the other way around? A frustration we all have felt.
3. Sometimes familiar pain is just more bearable than change.
4. I’m sick of being a cover song. Lament of narrator, apropos for a music fan and guitarist
5. Empty Chair Syndrome rears its ugly head. A good, evocative phrase for missing an important deceased family member.
6. Love isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about dealing with it.
7. “If no one is ever the bigger person, we all remain small-minded.”
There were a couple of flashbacks which were not clearly marked off from current time.
The novel is YA in this manner: Emotional depiction is early maturity; much affected by friend’s opinions and jumping to conclusions.
I suppose the YA novel is stronger, more valid since the protagonist changes her mind multiple times for, what seems to an adult, unconvincing reasons.
On the whole, an entertaining read about important issues. The effect of race, gender choice, and stereotypes on teenage passions with a strong minor key on problems arising from drug use.
Some of my favorite insights :
1. “People want a witness to their pain,” Rayne said. “Not a judge.”
2. And why am I supposed to live up to her expectations, and not the other way around? A frustration we all have felt.
3. Sometimes familiar pain is just more bearable than change.
4. I’m sick of being a cover song. Lament of narrator, apropos for a music fan and guitarist
5. Empty Chair Syndrome rears its ugly head. A good, evocative phrase for missing an important deceased family member.
6. Love isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about dealing with it.
7. “If no one is ever the bigger person, we all remain small-minded.”
There were a couple of flashbacks which were not clearly marked off from current time.
The novel is YA in this manner: Emotional depiction is early maturity; much affected by friend’s opinions and jumping to conclusions.
I suppose the YA novel is stronger, more valid since the protagonist changes her mind multiple times for, what seems to an adult, unconvincing reasons.
On the whole, an entertaining read about important issues. The effect of race, gender choice, and stereotypes on teenage passions with a strong minor key on problems arising from drug use.
February 18, 2023
I would have enjoyed this one more; but the underage drinking, teen sex, and the parent that was a pothead got annoying after a while.
May 18, 2021
This wasn't an enjoyable read. The entire time, I wanted to be done with it. Which is quite the accomplishment considering this is only 275 pages.
I think most of my problems actually stemmed from the length. So many things are underdeveloped. This book tried to tackle so many issues (racism, homophobia) and neither of them is done particularly well. Instead of feeling like a thoughtful commentary on these issues, this book felt like it just shoved them in.
I think the clearest example of this is the mural. We're told its racist because there is a slave ship present in it. I really wanted more from this. Who had painted it? What made it so clear this was in fact a slave ship? Instead of addressing these questions, this book simply painted the mural as racist, and left it there. In the author's note, it was stated that this was based on an event at the author's daughter's school, so I was expecting more detail. It wasn't a big problem, but I felt like it really portrayed how underdeveloped this book was.
I also hated all of the characters. Ellis was a total bitch, and didnt have a single redeeming quality. Zach was a pushover, and he shouldve dropped Amoris immediately. I honestly dont remember a single personality trait of Jamison's, so he's not getting mentioned. And Amoris was just preachy. The relationships between this group were even more confusing, so I'm not even going to try and tackle them.
Finally, the dialogue in this just felt over the top. There were several conversations featuring the school counselor in which I just had to put the book down. They were the stereotypical pretentious nonsense every YA book includes when it's trying to be quirky and different.
I feel like this book's message is good, and its trying to do good things, it just missed the mark. I understand that I can't relate to the problems the characters face, but my problems stemmed from the actual writing style, not just the content.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
I think most of my problems actually stemmed from the length. So many things are underdeveloped. This book tried to tackle so many issues (racism, homophobia) and neither of them is done particularly well. Instead of feeling like a thoughtful commentary on these issues, this book felt like it just shoved them in.
I think the clearest example of this is the mural. We're told its racist because there is a slave ship present in it. I really wanted more from this. Who had painted it? What made it so clear this was in fact a slave ship? Instead of addressing these questions, this book simply painted the mural as racist, and left it there. In the author's note, it was stated that this was based on an event at the author's daughter's school, so I was expecting more detail. It wasn't a big problem, but I felt like it really portrayed how underdeveloped this book was.
I also hated all of the characters. Ellis was a total bitch, and didnt have a single redeeming quality. Zach was a pushover, and he shouldve dropped Amoris immediately. I honestly dont remember a single personality trait of Jamison's, so he's not getting mentioned. And Amoris was just preachy. The relationships between this group were even more confusing, so I'm not even going to try and tackle them.
Finally, the dialogue in this just felt over the top. There were several conversations featuring the school counselor in which I just had to put the book down. They were the stereotypical pretentious nonsense every YA book includes when it's trying to be quirky and different.
I feel like this book's message is good, and its trying to do good things, it just missed the mark. I understand that I can't relate to the problems the characters face, but my problems stemmed from the actual writing style, not just the content.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
May 17, 2021
I had been a fan of Rebekah Crane's writing, and this current installment explores timely themes about racism and how it is to be an antiracist.
Crane was able to tackle sensitive issues about racism and privilege in an idyllic small town setting and what was buried just beneath the surface. I found the writing timely and thought provoking. The character arc and growth was one that I enjoyed reading about in this story.
The writing was an easy read, fast paced and very hopeful despite the heavy themes, all the while remaining uplifting and positive.
Crane was able to tackle sensitive issues about racism and privilege in an idyllic small town setting and what was buried just beneath the surface. I found the writing timely and thought provoking. The character arc and growth was one that I enjoyed reading about in this story.
The writing was an easy read, fast paced and very hopeful despite the heavy themes, all the while remaining uplifting and positive.
May 19, 2021
Hmmmm... this isa hard one for me. I truly appreciate what the author was trying to do. This story touches on microaggressions, racism, addiction, privilege, love, family, etc. So much to unpack in just 272 pages. However, it felt a bit clunky in execution.
This is a good lesson in being aware of your own actions or inactions in a small town where microaggressions are running rampant. Of course, in this small town, there is very little in way of diversity so these characters are used to just going about their business. I do appreciate the lessons placed within these page. At times it didn't feel very natural and had some "after school special" moments that felt a bit preachy.
I'm weirdly having a hard time placing my feelings into words with this one. I think the lessons here are important for sure and it sees like the author went outside her comfort zone to create this journey for others. I really enjoyed reading her Author's Note at the end and implore you to do so if/when you read this. I also needed a bit more with that ending... So I'm splitting this down the middle as I felt what the author was trying to convey and respect her for it.
This is a good lesson in being aware of your own actions or inactions in a small town where microaggressions are running rampant. Of course, in this small town, there is very little in way of diversity so these characters are used to just going about their business. I do appreciate the lessons placed within these page. At times it didn't feel very natural and had some "after school special" moments that felt a bit preachy.
I'm weirdly having a hard time placing my feelings into words with this one. I think the lessons here are important for sure and it sees like the author went outside her comfort zone to create this journey for others. I really enjoyed reading her Author's Note at the end and implore you to do so if/when you read this. I also needed a bit more with that ending... So I'm splitting this down the middle as I felt what the author was trying to convey and respect her for it.
September 12, 2021
Having read and enjoyed all of Ms Crane's previous YA books, I anticipated liking this more than I did. It had heaps of good things going for it, themes of racism, homophobia, family and our narrator, Amoris, inheriting her grandmother's extensive lp collection (I collected over 3,000 myself before recently divesting myself of my longtime obsession).
But in the end, the story just did not gel, too many issues, not enough resolution. Although I loved most of the characters and the issues and how they were presented, it just did not work as well as it could have. Enjoyable enough read though.
But in the end, the story just did not gel, too many issues, not enough resolution. Although I loved most of the characters and the issues and how they were presented, it just did not work as well as it could have. Enjoyable enough read though.
May 20, 2021
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Only The Pretty Lies in exchange for an honest review.
My biggest praise of Only The Pretty Lies is probably how dynamic the protagonist is. Crane attempts to educate the reader by having the protagonist start off incredibly oblivious of all the microaggressions she either causes or accidentally supports in her day to day life so she can deconstruct them for the reader while the protagonist does the same deconstructions. I loved the narrative style though I few times it does seem very in-your-face self important. I'm still a tad unsure how I feel about the execution of the anti-racist message at this book's heart because of how occasionally cartoonish it felt in what it was preaching but I think that was pretty much inevitable with the narrative style.
Brief note I wanted to include in case someone's reading this before the book gets printed: most style guides don't capitalize the W is White since being Black is a culturally defining experience but being white is not.
My biggest praise of Only The Pretty Lies is probably how dynamic the protagonist is. Crane attempts to educate the reader by having the protagonist start off incredibly oblivious of all the microaggressions she either causes or accidentally supports in her day to day life so she can deconstruct them for the reader while the protagonist does the same deconstructions. I loved the narrative style though I few times it does seem very in-your-face self important. I'm still a tad unsure how I feel about the execution of the anti-racist message at this book's heart because of how occasionally cartoonish it felt in what it was preaching but I think that was pretty much inevitable with the narrative style.
Brief note I wanted to include in case someone's reading this before the book gets printed: most style guides don't capitalize the W is White since being Black is a culturally defining experience but being white is not.
May 28, 2021
thank you netgalley for providing an arc of this book
May 29, 2021
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, when I started this book I thought it was going to be just a typical romance novel but man I was pleasantly surprised. This story was a beautiful example of love, struggle, racism, bigotry, and white privilege. It was amazing watching our main heroine Amoris grow from a naive teenage girl who only worried about how things effected her into a more self aware, compassionate, strong woman. The relationship between her and Jamison was adorable, I loved the friends aspect with the playfulness and the mutual pining. It was amazing watching them grow together, her realizing her misgivings when it came to the way Jamison felt and how he was treated differently for being black and leaning to stand up for what’s right. Ugh, I just all around loved this story. p.s. we DISLIKE 👎🏻 Ellis, all around as a character, she was the definition of white privilege, self pitying, self serving teenage girl, I wanted to punch her every-time she opened her mouth. But overall, I loved this book!
Wow, when I started this book I thought it was going to be just a typical romance novel but man I was pleasantly surprised. This story was a beautiful example of love, struggle, racism, bigotry, and white privilege. It was amazing watching our main heroine Amoris grow from a naive teenage girl who only worried about how things effected her into a more self aware, compassionate, strong woman. The relationship between her and Jamison was adorable, I loved the friends aspect with the playfulness and the mutual pining. It was amazing watching them grow together, her realizing her misgivings when it came to the way Jamison felt and how he was treated differently for being black and leaning to stand up for what’s right. Ugh, I just all around loved this story. p.s. we DISLIKE 👎🏻 Ellis, all around as a character, she was the definition of white privilege, self pitying, self serving teenage girl, I wanted to punch her every-time she opened her mouth. But overall, I loved this book!
April 25, 2021
Had this as my first reads and, I really enjoyed it, was a quick easy read for me as I'm used to reading big books but I enjoyed the story line and I enjoyed the characters
December 12, 2022
2.5
Eh. It was okay. Lots to unpack with heavy topics like, homophobia, racism, and white privilege. Some good take-home messages and life lessons. What bothered me was how Amoris parents were addressed by their names instead of mom and dad. At times when they were mentioned I thought they were just friends of hers. Also, I get what the author was trying to portray but I think a lot was missing. I can’t quite put into words exactly how I’m feeling but she didn’t hit the nail right on the head for me. A lot of tumultuous relationships and situations that didn’t really get dealt with. I think the main point for me was Jamisons situation. What his family went through in order for him to have a better chance of getting in his #1 school. How much harder he had to fight, keep quiet, lay low, and put up with it. He couldn’t cause any big waves or else his future was jeopardized. Meanwhile another character constantly defied the rules but never reaped any consequences. Also,
SPOILER ALERT
even when he didn’t do anything he was seen as guilty. Everything misconstrued and he’s painted as a monster. Which inevitably caused him (we all know this) to be denied acceptance into the university. Upending, yet again, his family’s life and ending up (like most minorities) in a community college.
And I could go on about Sams character (who I loved) but like I said it’s a lot to unpack. I feel like it could’ve done a lot better if the story was a bit longer.
Being that it is short and very YA this would be a good read for younger readers.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Eh. It was okay. Lots to unpack with heavy topics like, homophobia, racism, and white privilege. Some good take-home messages and life lessons. What bothered me was how Amoris parents were addressed by their names instead of mom and dad. At times when they were mentioned I thought they were just friends of hers. Also, I get what the author was trying to portray but I think a lot was missing. I can’t quite put into words exactly how I’m feeling but she didn’t hit the nail right on the head for me. A lot of tumultuous relationships and situations that didn’t really get dealt with. I think the main point for me was Jamisons situation. What his family went through in order for him to have a better chance of getting in his #1 school. How much harder he had to fight, keep quiet, lay low, and put up with it. He couldn’t cause any big waves or else his future was jeopardized. Meanwhile another character constantly defied the rules but never reaped any consequences. Also,
SPOILER ALERT
even when he didn’t do anything he was seen as guilty. Everything misconstrued and he’s painted as a monster. Which inevitably caused him (we all know this) to be denied acceptance into the university. Upending, yet again, his family’s life and ending up (like most minorities) in a community college.
And I could go on about Sams character (who I loved) but like I said it’s a lot to unpack. I feel like it could’ve done a lot better if the story was a bit longer.
Being that it is short and very YA this would be a good read for younger readers.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
April 6, 2021
Completely unable female protagonist and lots of peachy prose
An annoying, whiny, self-pitying female lad makes this book actually painful to read. I don’t expect her to be perfect, but I don’t want to read about someone whose guilt dictates her life, She does one thing because she feels less guilty doing it than doing what she wants to do.
There’s a good- guy lead. He a decent guy who loves the heroine. He’s a talented writer with a big dream and a lifelong friendship with the heroine. Not telling him about something she sees drives a 3-year wedge into their relationship. He’s constantly left loving her but alone through different phases of the book.
The female lead loves him, but only sobs the truth and her dire to other people... and she seems to build up some strength and resolve only to squander it on her next encounter with the love of her like.
Annoying device throughout of telling reader how a bad feeling inside alleys one to a bad touch about to happen... also, any time Tim’s go okay (not great) between the leafs, something awful OSS about to happen,
So why did I finish the book? Well, I like a happily-ever-after... and I kept thinking the author would let up and let the characters enjoy each other... even let the reader enjoy the book.
No redemption for them or for me. Heavy-handed without respite or relief. Lousy love scenes too.
An annoying, whiny, self-pitying female lad makes this book actually painful to read. I don’t expect her to be perfect, but I don’t want to read about someone whose guilt dictates her life, She does one thing because she feels less guilty doing it than doing what she wants to do.
There’s a good- guy lead. He a decent guy who loves the heroine. He’s a talented writer with a big dream and a lifelong friendship with the heroine. Not telling him about something she sees drives a 3-year wedge into their relationship. He’s constantly left loving her but alone through different phases of the book.
The female lead loves him, but only sobs the truth and her dire to other people... and she seems to build up some strength and resolve only to squander it on her next encounter with the love of her like.
Annoying device throughout of telling reader how a bad feeling inside alleys one to a bad touch about to happen... also, any time Tim’s go okay (not great) between the leafs, something awful OSS about to happen,
So why did I finish the book? Well, I like a happily-ever-after... and I kept thinking the author would let up and let the characters enjoy each other... even let the reader enjoy the book.
No redemption for them or for me. Heavy-handed without respite or relief. Lousy love scenes too.
May 4, 2021
I wasn't sure how much, if at all, I was going to like this book as I don't read a lot of young adult books anymore. But, I really enjoyed this one and flew through it. The short chapters definitely were a plus.
Amoris is a high school senior who is shocked when the childhood friend she has loved for the past few years shows up in her town. Jamison and his mother move to a new state for the next year so he can hope to get in state tuition at the college he really wants to attend. As Amoris and Jamison become closer again, he opens her eyes to things she has been missing regarding racism. As one of the only colored persons in their high school, Jamison sees things differently.
I really enjoyed Amoris' growth throughout this story. She started to see things and people around her differently, thanks to Jamison--especially with her best friend, Ellis. I would have liked for it to end differently, because we really are left with questions. This is just my preference, though.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing for my gifted copy.
Amoris is a high school senior who is shocked when the childhood friend she has loved for the past few years shows up in her town. Jamison and his mother move to a new state for the next year so he can hope to get in state tuition at the college he really wants to attend. As Amoris and Jamison become closer again, he opens her eyes to things she has been missing regarding racism. As one of the only colored persons in their high school, Jamison sees things differently.
I really enjoyed Amoris' growth throughout this story. She started to see things and people around her differently, thanks to Jamison--especially with her best friend, Ellis. I would have liked for it to end differently, because we really are left with questions. This is just my preference, though.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing for my gifted copy.
March 13, 2023
This book was HEAVY. Not a quick romcom read. My bestie got me this for Christmas and I told her not to read the synopsis so it’d be judging a book by its cover. I find that very ironic since this book is telling you not to judge people based on what they look like/ how they identify/ sex/ race. This book can teach people some great lessons and open their eyes to problems some may not understand. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone it was great. I hope we get a second book to the series I think we need a light hearted romcom after this read.
May 20, 2021
Im going to be 100% honest...at first I was curious to see how a white female author could pull off a book about racism. And then magic happened!
This isn't to say that this book has everything completely accurate but as Crane states in her authors note... the door is now open.
As a white woman in today's world I want to do everything I can to simply not hurt others. This is my goal. Be a kind human. This book gave me quite a few thought proving aspects that I really quite enjoyed. Also, there is an adorable love story that I just couldn't get enough of.
Thank you Alcove and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
This isn't to say that this book has everything completely accurate but as Crane states in her authors note... the door is now open.
As a white woman in today's world I want to do everything I can to simply not hurt others. This is my goal. Be a kind human. This book gave me quite a few thought proving aspects that I really quite enjoyed. Also, there is an adorable love story that I just couldn't get enough of.
Thank you Alcove and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
May 21, 2021
My favourite part of reading YA novels is that they tell different valid issues in simple words. They are plain yet powerful!! Also, as an individual who is not in her teens, it’s fascinating to read and experience the youth pov.
Coming to the story, this is a small town YA romance novel, that encompasses the topics of family, love, self-love, racism, addiction and happiness. It might sound a lot for a novel that is less than 300 pages, but the author has done a good work in keeping us readers engaged with the characters and the story.
Its mostly the story of Amoris and Jamison told in Amoris’s words. They were cute, but Amoris is not the girl she was and Jamison has issues that Amoris tries to help. Like a classic male sub-protagonist, Jamison acts little unfair, but he comes around. Its nice to read and enjoy a positive story like this once in a while.
This is my first read from Author Crane, I think I like her writing and will definitely look into her backlist titles. An author to add to watch list.
Coming to the story, this is a small town YA romance novel, that encompasses the topics of family, love, self-love, racism, addiction and happiness. It might sound a lot for a novel that is less than 300 pages, but the author has done a good work in keeping us readers engaged with the characters and the story.
Its mostly the story of Amoris and Jamison told in Amoris’s words. They were cute, but Amoris is not the girl she was and Jamison has issues that Amoris tries to help. Like a classic male sub-protagonist, Jamison acts little unfair, but he comes around. Its nice to read and enjoy a positive story like this once in a while.
This is my first read from Author Crane, I think I like her writing and will definitely look into her backlist titles. An author to add to watch list.
April 12, 2021
Good premise, but I just didn't like the characters.
May 8, 2021
2.5/5 This is a book with great ideas and the best of intentions, but it just didn’t land right with me. There’s no denying the value, importance, and timeliness of the anti-racist message the author is clearly conveying. I just wish the story had felt more natural, the characters developed more fully, and the stakes for each character really shown (Huge stakes for Jamison, essentially none for Amoris).
I can understand that in a relatively short YA story, Crane had a lot of nuggets of how-to-be-better wisdom to demonstrate and that perhaps it didn’t allow the organic development of relationships and protagonist growth that I find makes for a great read. Unfortunately though, the protagonist was just deeply unlikeable and entirely self-centered, to a point that I struggled to celebrate her finally beginning to acknowledge her flaws.
I loved both the Sam and Jamison characters, though struggled to see how they could both treat Ellis (a basic caricature of self-centered, privileged teens who feel the world owes them something) as a complete Undesirable (she is!), but then not paint Amoris with at least parts of the same brush. Jamison spends most of the book reminding Amoris of how she does not understand him, how she hurts him, and how everything she does is about herself. Yet, we as readers are supposed to feel some kind of magical, fated connection between them. The romance element here falls completely flat for me. All the way to the end, all I could do was hold her up next to Jamison who (spoiler) despite all his hard work, does not get into his dream school, whereas she does not even need to go to college because she’s privileged enough to come from a family who are financially stable, support her wish to travel and find herself, and she knows that her small town and grandmother’s ex-cafe will be there for her as a fall-back if things don’t work out.
Having read the summary, I really wanted to love this book. It was a nice, easy read full of sage advice and lovely musings about life, but unfortunately the lack of organic character development, and some huge missed opportunities for meaningful conversations between Amoris and her deeply interesting family, left me wanting. In place of what could have been fantastic, engaging and encouraging conversations about change between Amoris and her seemingly open-minded mother and father, and difficult but significant conversations for growth with her flawed and hurting brother, what I got was a series moments in which one person said the right thing, or reacted in the ideal way, much like an after school special might hire actors to role play for teaching. I can acknowledge this is probably a ME problem. I didn’t get what I wanted from this book because of my expectations of it. For all I know, this book will serve its exact purpose.
With teaching in mind, and the importance of getting this message out, perhaps this book will do great things in terms of showing a younger generation of readers various ways to speak up and not to allow silence to make them accessories to further hurt.
A few of the great lines and thoughts that I highlighted:
‘People want a witness to their pain,’ Rayne said. ‘Not a judge.’
Bigotry isn’t a disease, Amoris. You don’t just have it or not have it. It’s something you participate in, whether you like it or not. Excusing people for bigotry only makes it worse.
The secret to a good education has nothing to do with reading or multiplication, or facts. A good education is about belonging. It’s about being seen.
‘Books are like hearts,’ he said. ‘They should be shared with the people we trust.’
I can understand that in a relatively short YA story, Crane had a lot of nuggets of how-to-be-better wisdom to demonstrate and that perhaps it didn’t allow the organic development of relationships and protagonist growth that I find makes for a great read. Unfortunately though, the protagonist was just deeply unlikeable and entirely self-centered, to a point that I struggled to celebrate her finally beginning to acknowledge her flaws.
I loved both the Sam and Jamison characters, though struggled to see how they could both treat Ellis (a basic caricature of self-centered, privileged teens who feel the world owes them something) as a complete Undesirable (she is!), but then not paint Amoris with at least parts of the same brush. Jamison spends most of the book reminding Amoris of how she does not understand him, how she hurts him, and how everything she does is about herself. Yet, we as readers are supposed to feel some kind of magical, fated connection between them. The romance element here falls completely flat for me. All the way to the end, all I could do was hold her up next to Jamison who (spoiler) despite all his hard work, does not get into his dream school, whereas she does not even need to go to college because she’s privileged enough to come from a family who are financially stable, support her wish to travel and find herself, and she knows that her small town and grandmother’s ex-cafe will be there for her as a fall-back if things don’t work out.
Having read the summary, I really wanted to love this book. It was a nice, easy read full of sage advice and lovely musings about life, but unfortunately the lack of organic character development, and some huge missed opportunities for meaningful conversations between Amoris and her deeply interesting family, left me wanting. In place of what could have been fantastic, engaging and encouraging conversations about change between Amoris and her seemingly open-minded mother and father, and difficult but significant conversations for growth with her flawed and hurting brother, what I got was a series moments in which one person said the right thing, or reacted in the ideal way, much like an after school special might hire actors to role play for teaching. I can acknowledge this is probably a ME problem. I didn’t get what I wanted from this book because of my expectations of it. For all I know, this book will serve its exact purpose.
With teaching in mind, and the importance of getting this message out, perhaps this book will do great things in terms of showing a younger generation of readers various ways to speak up and not to allow silence to make them accessories to further hurt.
A few of the great lines and thoughts that I highlighted:
‘People want a witness to their pain,’ Rayne said. ‘Not a judge.’
Bigotry isn’t a disease, Amoris. You don’t just have it or not have it. It’s something you participate in, whether you like it or not. Excusing people for bigotry only makes it worse.
The secret to a good education has nothing to do with reading or multiplication, or facts. A good education is about belonging. It’s about being seen.
‘Books are like hearts,’ he said. ‘They should be shared with the people we trust.’
June 2, 2021
Thanks to @tlcbooktours and @amazonpublishing for the #gifted copy!
I read a lot of YA books because it's one of my favorite genres and because I have teens in the house, so I like having books around that they pick up and we can discuss.
I went into this book blind, having no idea what it was about and assuming it was a teen romance novel. And yes, there is a dating relationship and some romantic storyline, but this is so much more than that. Only The Pretty Lies is a look at what it means for one teen, Amoris, to be anti-racist in her everyday life. It charts her journey of unawareness to to exploring the racism inherent in her life all around her and its impact on her friend Jamison. It's a look at small town America and the inherent racism that has always been there, but that some are just waking up to.
This is a fast read and what I would consider an introduction level book to microaggressions, racism and the work to become anti-racist for white teen Amoris. It is very much told from her point of view showing her struggle to name racism, to stand up against it and the struggle with her motives behind when she does.
It's a fast read and I finished this in one sitting. I think it could lead to great discussions and I would recommend following it up with some reading some #ownvoice novels about the same topic.
April 3, 2022
3.5⭐️
I think this book is really important and is one that a lot of people should read. Especially the age demographic of the book: Young Adults/17&18 year olds.
There are some incredible pieces of dialogue in this book and also some amazing conversations.
It was fast paced, thought provoking and got straight to the point about the kind of message the book is giving. Considering it is dealing with such a big topic such as racism I think the author did really well addressing this.
A couple of flaws for me personally was that I did feel there was maybe a little too many plot points for such a short book (270pgs). Also there was one character who I just had absolutely no love for and I kind of hated her right from the start even before it became obvious she was meant to be the “bad guy” of the book. So it meant a lot of the scenes with her were really hard to read.
Overall though definitely a book I’d recommend everyone read
I think this book is really important and is one that a lot of people should read. Especially the age demographic of the book: Young Adults/17&18 year olds.
There are some incredible pieces of dialogue in this book and also some amazing conversations.
It was fast paced, thought provoking and got straight to the point about the kind of message the book is giving. Considering it is dealing with such a big topic such as racism I think the author did really well addressing this.
A couple of flaws for me personally was that I did feel there was maybe a little too many plot points for such a short book (270pgs). Also there was one character who I just had absolutely no love for and I kind of hated her right from the start even before it became obvious she was meant to be the “bad guy” of the book. So it meant a lot of the scenes with her were really hard to read.
Overall though definitely a book I’d recommend everyone read
August 8, 2023
How Not To Be A Racist Teen Romance
Complaints in reviews are about the black male love interest mostly. I get it. But the story isn’t about him. It’s about key moments that challenge the heroines pov and allow her to see a world outside of herself. Yes things seem obvious as racially motivated in the book but as someone who has seen things that seemed so obvious as racial issues and seen others say that that wasn’t what happened please don’t overlook the power of denial. This book does a great job as a jumping point for conversations about race and inclusivity. I think it’s worth the read. There’s a note in the back about why the author wrote it in case anyone is curious like I was since she’s not a person of color.
Complaints in reviews are about the black male love interest mostly. I get it. But the story isn’t about him. It’s about key moments that challenge the heroines pov and allow her to see a world outside of herself. Yes things seem obvious as racially motivated in the book but as someone who has seen things that seemed so obvious as racial issues and seen others say that that wasn’t what happened please don’t overlook the power of denial. This book does a great job as a jumping point for conversations about race and inclusivity. I think it’s worth the read. There’s a note in the back about why the author wrote it in case anyone is curious like I was since she’s not a person of color.
May 7, 2021
LOVED IT!
I won this book in a giveaway and wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not, but it instantly drew me in. The author did a good job of shedding light on the daily struggle for equality in a world filled with privilege and too many people who turn a blind eye to the plight of others. The book is also filled with an underlying message of love and hope for a brighter tomorrow. It is a must read!
I won this book in a giveaway and wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not, but it instantly drew me in. The author did a good job of shedding light on the daily struggle for equality in a world filled with privilege and too many people who turn a blind eye to the plight of others. The book is also filled with an underlying message of love and hope for a brighter tomorrow. It is a must read!
February 16, 2022
thank you mayu
April 10, 2021
Meh. Interesting concept but it would have been nice to see different growth out of the main character.
September 5, 2021
I will remain grateful to this book for opening my eyes to a common form of racism I myself was unaware of. And although I felt shamed and ignorant once recognizing this, I was also appreciative that this was the whole point. And I value the author’s own reflections of her novel: “This book is not a pardon from the role that I have played in perpetuating racism. It is, instead, a doorway. And now that I’ve stepped through, I cannot, will not, must not go back.”
For me, I have recognized the errors in my oversight and have already taken action to correcting that oversight and moving forward in being more anti-racist and not just simply “not racist.” For this alone, I appreciate the place this novel has in literature.
Otherwise, I was not content with how packed some of the themes of this novel were. This book tried to address a lot in a short amount of pages. Some of the characters were well developed to serve an ultimately uneventful purpose, while other characters played out to be uncharacteristic in which they would typically behave. I wanted to like the main character but found her to be lacking conviction, and even though she constantly was seeking growth, she returned to the same mistakes each time.
I also struggle with her friendship with her best friend, and how quickly she was able to discard it, while she so quickly and easily forgave her brother for similar wrongdoings.
This book would have benefitted from increasing length and perhaps narrowing focus: love story or anti racist. To merge the two, the novel needed more time to breathe.
Some of the best quotable moments came from this novel, which I love:
“Aren’t we all cover songs, in a way?
Holding on tight only leads to more tightness.
Anger is the thief of time.
Sometimes saying it takes the pressure off. Silence is heavy.
People want a witness to their pain .. not a judge.
Silence is the worst kind of screaming.
Every story needs sadness.
I’m going to be honest with you … And it’s gonna hurt, but I want you to remember that honesty is the greatest respect we can give each other.
If you’re waiting for the world to be perfect before you let yourself have him, you’ll die alone.”
For me, I have recognized the errors in my oversight and have already taken action to correcting that oversight and moving forward in being more anti-racist and not just simply “not racist.” For this alone, I appreciate the place this novel has in literature.
Otherwise, I was not content with how packed some of the themes of this novel were. This book tried to address a lot in a short amount of pages. Some of the characters were well developed to serve an ultimately uneventful purpose, while other characters played out to be uncharacteristic in which they would typically behave. I wanted to like the main character but found her to be lacking conviction, and even though she constantly was seeking growth, she returned to the same mistakes each time.
I also struggle with her friendship with her best friend, and how quickly she was able to discard it, while she so quickly and easily forgave her brother for similar wrongdoings.
This book would have benefitted from increasing length and perhaps narrowing focus: love story or anti racist. To merge the two, the novel needed more time to breathe.
Some of the best quotable moments came from this novel, which I love:
“Aren’t we all cover songs, in a way?
Holding on tight only leads to more tightness.
Anger is the thief of time.
Sometimes saying it takes the pressure off. Silence is heavy.
People want a witness to their pain .. not a judge.
Silence is the worst kind of screaming.
Every story needs sadness.
I’m going to be honest with you … And it’s gonna hurt, but I want you to remember that honesty is the greatest respect we can give each other.
If you’re waiting for the world to be perfect before you let yourself have him, you’ll die alone.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2021
(2.5) Not badly written, and definitely compelling, but by the end I actively detested the narrator/protagonist, and wished she would fall down a deep hole. She began the book as a fairly standard "I'm different from the boring normal kids, look at my classic vinyl collection! I work at a coffee shop and have a weird name! My parents are artists and I call them by their names instead of 'mom' and 'dad'!" super special YA protagonist, and I settled in for her emotive journey of finding herself. All of which is fine; we don't come to this subgenre because we want logic and an action-packed plot.
But as Amoris (really?!?) navigates her senior year, with its evolving friendships and goals and romances, confronted with injustices against the people she cares about, she becomes increasingly shrill and judgey and sanctimonious and unlikable. The mid-to-end of the book falls apart like insufficiently baked gluten free bread (and I know a lot about that particular topic, let me tell you) as she flails about, alienating people left right and center, while insisting that she's the one who's growing and learning to see more clearly. Maybe she is. Maybe I'm a cynic.
So, that's a book that I definitely read. The evocation of emotions was well done. I didn't enjoy feeling lectured by my leisure reading, and though I liked the story in general I felt it didn't deliver anything like a satisfying or even especially thought-provoking conclusion. Let's ride off into the sunset, having wreaked nothing but chaos among the people we love! But hey, at least our intentions are pure! And that's all that matters, right?
But as Amoris (really?!?) navigates her senior year, with its evolving friendships and goals and romances, confronted with injustices against the people she cares about, she becomes increasingly shrill and judgey and sanctimonious and unlikable. The mid-to-end of the book falls apart like insufficiently baked gluten free bread (and I know a lot about that particular topic, let me tell you) as she flails about, alienating people left right and center, while insisting that she's the one who's growing and learning to see more clearly. Maybe she is. Maybe I'm a cynic.
So, that's a book that I definitely read. The evocation of emotions was well done. I didn't enjoy feeling lectured by my leisure reading, and though I liked the story in general I felt it didn't deliver anything like a satisfying or even especially thought-provoking conclusion. Let's ride off into the sunset, having wreaked nothing but chaos among the people we love! But hey, at least our intentions are pure! And that's all that matters, right?
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