Man's Best Friend by Alana B. Lytle

Title: Man's Best Friend by Alana B Lytle

Publisher: Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: May 14, 2024 

I requested this book based upon the blurb. Sadly, it did not live up to expectations.

El is a failed actress turned bakery employee. She's almost 30 but is wandering aimlessly through life. The one thing that she dwells on is her 8th grade year. She was on scholarship to an exclusive school and was befriended by Anna and Julia. They were everything that El wished she could be, wealthy and popular. She was determined to one day be just like them.

At one of Julia's parties, El bumps into a man named Bryce. He's not super attractive and he's kind of a loner but he and El start dating. She starts calling out from her job and alienating her friends. After moving in with Bryce, she begins noticing red flags about him, but they are co-dependent on each other in a toxic way. She soon finds out the truth about him. What will she do with the truth?

There are zero likable characters in this book. El is narcissistic, lazy, desperate, and worst of all whiny. Bryce is bland and unassuming and clingy. The side characters are just as bad, a typical portrayal of rich people who all are self-absorbed with major drug and alcohol problems. 

The bits of suspense that seemed interesting were rushed through or glossed over. The dream sequences and parts about the dogs were jarring and pulled you out of the story. The writing itself was good but the story fell flat. It was a struggle to finish the book and the ending was unbelievable. Based on the author's writing style, I would like to see what they come up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance reader copy to review.

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Title: Pretty Things by Janelle Brown

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Release Date: 04/21/2020

I'm sure you've read a book where you read a certain scene and you mouth just drops open and you look around and say, "Oh my God, what??" This book had not one, not two, but several moments like that for me. Just when you think you've got the plot figured out, Ms. Brown yanks the carpet out from under your feet. The amazing part is that she does it so very well.

 Pretty Things is told from the perspective of Nina and Vanessa. These two women are as different as night and day. Nina is a con artist raised by a con artist mother while Vanessa is born into a family of wealth and privilege. They meet briefly while Nina is a teen and Vanessa is a college student due to Nina's friendship with Benny, Vanessa's brother. Now, years later they meet again as Nina is desperate for one last con to help her mother and then go legit. She thinks Vanessa will be the perfect mark.

The book intertwines flashbacks as well as the perspectives of the two women. There are a few scenes that are told from each woman's point of view. Strangely enough it works. I am not going to say that I loved either character because they are both deeply flawed. At different points you feel sad for them, you root for them, you care for them, and you even hates them.

Setting details are amazing. I could picture the landscape, picture the mansions, and picture the lake. The descriptions almost make me want to take a trip to Lake Tahoe and take a look around. If a writer has you seeing the story as a movie inside of your head then she's doing an excellent job. This was excellent.

The story shows you that whether you are rich or broke, you all have problems. No one is what they seem in this book and they tell lies upon lies upon lies to each other and themselves. In the end, could the two women bond and put their past aside?

The only thing that I wished for more in this book was that I wanted to see more of Benny. He's very troubled but also funny and he means so much to both women that it was a shame that he wasn't more present in the book.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. The pacing is good and the story is compelling. I suggest you pre-order a copy so you don't miss out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book. I sincerely hope that Ms. Brown continues writing and that I'll be able to review her next piece of work.