Author: Kieran Scott
Publication Date: April 4, 2017
Date Read: December 10-11, 2016
Pages: 320
Source: I received Pretty Fierce via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Kaia has been on the run her whole life. The daughter of professional assassins, she knows true danger—and she’ll do anything to survive. After her parents vanished during a job gone bad, Kaia’s spent the last year in hiding, trying to blend in as an ordinary teenager, and there’s no one who makes her feel more normal or more special than her boyfriend, Oliver. But when she’s jumped by a hit man, and Oliver catches her fighting back, Kaia’s secret is exposed. In a split-second decision, she flees the small town, taking Oliver with her. With professional killers stalking their every move, can Oliver and Kaia protect each other long enough to uncover the mysteries of her past?
Pretty Fierce was such a blast! It's been a while since I've read a thriller, so I had no expectations going into this. The book starts off with a bang (quite literally) and doesn't slow down from there. It's pretty much nonstop action the whole time, and I was hooked! There was never a dull moment; I didn't want to put the book down.
After reading this book, I think one of my goals for this year is to read more thrillers. I can unfortunately say that at the time I am writing this post, the only other thriller I have read is Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall. That needs to be fixed! I loved how everything was fast-paced. Slow books are my downfall, and this fast pace really worked for me. I kept reading and reading without even realizing that hours were passing by.
The dual point of view was surprising, but welcome in Pretty Fierce! When I read the synopsis, I thought it was solely going to be from Kaia's POV, but instead it alternated between Kaia and Oliver. I think Scott did a great job my discerning the two voices. There were at times when I would get a bit frustrated at both Kaia and Oliver, but I never once got confused. It was really cool to be in the perspective of both an insider and an outsider of the situation.
Kaia was such a kick ass character. I loved learning more about her as the book progressed. She was so interesting, and learning more about her past with her parents were really fun! The flashbacks and reminiscing were some of my favorite aspects of the book. I think they did a good job of adding depth to Kaia.
One of the things that I wish was expanded on was the relationship. I thought that I would adore Kaia and Oliver's relationship, but I didn't. They had a great dynamic, but there were no times when they just took a breather and relaxed. Because the book was non-stop action, there was no opportunity for me to connect to them as much as I wanted.
My only other complaint is that the ending was a bit too perfect. I guess this is a mild spoiler, but no one of real importance died. How am I supposed to believe that two teenagers could take down a major drug lord? It was a difficult process, but not as difficult as I anticipated.
Besides my minor complaints, I really enjoyed Pretty Fierce. The dual POVs and quick pace worked well for me and kept me reading into the wee hours of the night. If you are looking for a fun book to read just for kicks or to get you out of a slump, I would recommend this for you! That is, if you like contemporary thrillers!
With that, I give this book
4 out of 5 Stars!
