unacalle's review
3.0
Rating: 3/5
This is one of those rare books that I knew absolutely nothing about before checking it out from my library's Overdrive selection and taking on vacation with me, and I don't know if the lack of information helped my opinion of the book or not. Because I was very mixed in my opinions on this book.
Let's Break it Down:
What I Liked
•The Plot. This is what this book REALLY had going for it. The plot kept me interested. I could never figure out what was going to happen next. And while I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I really needed to find out what was going to happen and to find out who was who at the beginning. The larger plot, once it unfolds, is easy to get drawn into. I also personally, found it relevant to local school scandal that was breaking at the time I read it.
•The Ending. I found it very fitting and extremely suitable to the book as a whole. It open-ended in some respects, but it leaves you on a satisfying' – if somewhat unexpected – note.
What I Didn't Like:
•The Characters. I found every last one of them extremely unlikable. I think of all of them I like Kate the most because we saw a great deal of the story from her POV, and I was able to empathize with her – hell, I was rooting for her to succeed - but I can't say that I liked her. The way that she seeks out Olivia solely because she's the most vulnerable person at her and the easiest to con. She's an extremely well-done morally gray character, I don't know that I like her. I couldn't stand Olivia, I thought she was annoying and made extremely questionable decisions when the right and wrong choice was utterly clear. The supporting characters were either not meant to be sympathetic or utterly annoying. I had a really hard time with the fact that teenage girls were throwing themselves at a man in his 30s or the fact that he was encouraging it and the rampant and flippant use of prescription drugs. I know that people actually do all of these things in real life and I think its wrong. I can deal with characters that I find morally objectionable but it's hard to connect with an entire cast of such characters.
•POV Switching. I found it extremely jarring at first – I'm not always a fan of changing tense with POV – but I got used to it. I did prefer Kate's to Olivia's, not surprising with how I feel about the characters, but I did feel that Kate's voice was stronger and more memorable and Olivia's did drag a bit.
•A Pointless Romantic Subplot. There's a romantic subplot that adds nothing to the story. I actually enjoyed it until I realized that it wasn't really going anywhere, and compounded with the fact there is no resolution to this thread, I couldn't understand why it was included at all.
All in all, Beware That Girl is a decent YA thriller with an intriguing, morally gray main character and addictive plot, but with an extremely unlikable supporting cast.
This review and others can be found at my blog The Fangirl Reads
This is one of those rare books that I knew absolutely nothing about before checking it out from my library's Overdrive selection and taking on vacation with me, and I don't know if the lack of information helped my opinion of the book or not. Because I was very mixed in my opinions on this book.
Let's Break it Down:
What I Liked
•The Plot. This is what this book REALLY had going for it. The plot kept me interested. I could never figure out what was going to happen next. And while I had a hard time connecting with the characters, I really needed to find out what was going to happen and to find out who was who at the beginning. The larger plot, once it unfolds, is easy to get drawn into. I also personally, found it relevant to local school scandal that was breaking at the time I read it.
•The Ending. I found it very fitting and extremely suitable to the book as a whole. It open-ended in some respects, but it leaves you on a satisfying' – if somewhat unexpected – note.
What I Didn't Like:
•The Characters. I found every last one of them extremely unlikable. I think of all of them I like Kate the most because we saw a great deal of the story from her POV, and I was able to empathize with her – hell, I was rooting for her to succeed - but I can't say that I liked her. The way that she seeks out Olivia solely because she's the most vulnerable person at her and the easiest to con. She's an extremely well-done morally gray character, I don't know that I like her. I couldn't stand Olivia, I thought she was annoying and made extremely questionable decisions when the right and wrong choice was utterly clear. The supporting characters were either not meant to be sympathetic or utterly annoying. I had a really hard time with the fact that teenage girls were throwing themselves at a man in his 30s or the fact that he was encouraging it and the rampant and flippant use of prescription drugs. I know that people actually do all of these things in real life and I think its wrong. I can deal with characters that I find morally objectionable but it's hard to connect with an entire cast of such characters.
•POV Switching. I found it extremely jarring at first – I'm not always a fan of changing tense with POV – but I got used to it. I did prefer Kate's to Olivia's, not surprising with how I feel about the characters, but I did feel that Kate's voice was stronger and more memorable and Olivia's did drag a bit.
•A Pointless Romantic Subplot. There's a romantic subplot that adds nothing to the story. I actually enjoyed it until I realized that it wasn't really going anywhere, and compounded with the fact there is no resolution to this thread, I couldn't understand why it was included at all.
All in all, Beware That Girl is a decent YA thriller with an intriguing, morally gray main character and addictive plot, but with an extremely unlikable supporting cast.
This review and others can be found at my blog The Fangirl Reads
carstensena's review
3.0
This really swept me up in the reading. But--and maybe I've read too many thrillers--I was disappointed in the climax of the story. I was expecting more of a twist at the end.
And what about Johnny??
Still, Kate is a great character. The NYC private school and Chinatown settings were well drawn. The mysteries around both Kate and Olivia's backstories kept me reading.
And the villain is truly awful! This is definitely for the older end of YA.
I could be talked into 4 stars, but for now I'm keeping it at a high 3.
And what about Johnny??
Still, Kate is a great character. The NYC private school and Chinatown settings were well drawn. The mysteries around both Kate and Olivia's backstories kept me reading.
And the villain is truly awful! This is definitely for the older end of YA.
I could be talked into 4 stars, but for now I'm keeping it at a high 3.
readingthebacklist's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
sc104906's review
3.0
For a more complete review, visit my vlog, Bickering Book Reviews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRwxie-6XaU
Kate O'Brien has had a rough past, filled with some fairly psychologically unstable people. As a result, she has learned how to survive. Now that she is attending a new elite prep school, she has decided to hitch her wagon to the school's richest girl. Using charm and smarts, Kate O'Brien plans to get into Olivia's good graces and take advantage of all of the perks that come along with being her friend. After weaseling her way into Olivia's life and home, the friendship begins to be tested by Olivia's secret romance with an older man. Something doesn't seem right and if Kate can't get to the bottom of it, there will be deadly consequences.
I am not a fan of the unfortunate social climbers, who seem to have no ethics. The amount of intense psychological issues found in this novel seem unrealistic. Not everyone is a psychopath. Also, I think that by relying on this heavy psychological issues, the author takes the easy way out and doesn't work to develop the villains as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRwxie-6XaU
Kate O'Brien has had a rough past, filled with some fairly psychologically unstable people. As a result, she has learned how to survive. Now that she is attending a new elite prep school, she has decided to hitch her wagon to the school's richest girl. Using charm and smarts, Kate O'Brien plans to get into Olivia's good graces and take advantage of all of the perks that come along with being her friend. After weaseling her way into Olivia's life and home, the friendship begins to be tested by Olivia's secret romance with an older man. Something doesn't seem right and if Kate can't get to the bottom of it, there will be deadly consequences.
I am not a fan of the unfortunate social climbers, who seem to have no ethics. The amount of intense psychological issues found in this novel seem unrealistic. Not everyone is a psychopath. Also, I think that by relying on this heavy psychological issues, the author takes the easy way out and doesn't work to develop the villains as well.
ellaghiem's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Most of the book was pretty good and kept me engaged. However, I didn't like the ending because it didn't line up with how the characters acted throughout the whole novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide
pikasqueaks's review
This book wanted to be something different, but the author's writing isn't skilled enough to get there. It's not ~Gossip Girl meets Gone Girl~ or anything of the sort.
readwithmeemz's review
4.0
I was lucky enough to get an advance reader's copy of this book from Penguin Random House. I'm SO glad I read it! This book was so great! I kept hearing the term "Gone Girl... But for teens" thrown around, and I thought people were blowing it out of proportion, but Teresa Toten wrote a gripping & dramatic thriller that kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time. It was a little underdeveloped in some aspects - like I felt like a lot more could have been done with some of the characters - so parts of it felt almost... Unfinished? The ending was great though. I absolutely loved the story overall! It was like Gossip Girl (the TV show - with its dramatic twists & turns) mixed with the unreliable narration of Gone Girl. I really loved it! I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a thriller - be warned though, you'll be hard-pressed to put it down!
mrs_george's review
2.0
I’m glad I bought this from a bargain bin. It fell flat. Nothing was fleshed out enough. Definitely cannot compare to Gone Girl as it claims to do.
melindagallagher's review
4.0
This private school drama is a little too fabricated, but it does bring to light several issues of mental illness, abuse, and lying to get what you want. The psychological thriller is not my typical read, but I enjoyed it. Give to fans of Gone Girl and We Were Liars.
jasmyn9's review
5.0
Holy cow! I thought I had this book all figured out - but I totally didn't. Biggest curve ball I've seen in a long, long time.
Kate will do just about anything to keep her scholarship and get into Yale. Step one, befriending one of the haves by the name of Olivia. She's an easy mark, looking for a new friend. And things seem to go along very nicely. She's managed to become Olivia's best friend. But then things get a little weird.
Enter Mark Redkin, the new employee at the private school that all the girls (student and faculty alike) are head over heels for. But he's more than what he seems on the surface. Kate doesn't trust him, and soon she finds out why. Things quickly spin out of Kate's carefully constructed plan. Mark is out of her league, but she's determined to come out on top.
This is where things took an interesting twist that I never saw coming. I don't want to give it away, but it's a good one. Excellently done Teresa Toten.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://www.hotofftheshelves.com/2016/05/beware-that-girl-by-teresa-toten-review.html#sthash.aoypggQ4.dpuf
Kate will do just about anything to keep her scholarship and get into Yale. Step one, befriending one of the haves by the name of Olivia. She's an easy mark, looking for a new friend. And things seem to go along very nicely. She's managed to become Olivia's best friend. But then things get a little weird.
Enter Mark Redkin, the new employee at the private school that all the girls (student and faculty alike) are head over heels for. But he's more than what he seems on the surface. Kate doesn't trust him, and soon she finds out why. Things quickly spin out of Kate's carefully constructed plan. Mark is out of her league, but she's determined to come out on top.
This is where things took an interesting twist that I never saw coming. I don't want to give it away, but it's a good one. Excellently done Teresa Toten.
*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://www.hotofftheshelves.com/2016/05/beware-that-girl-by-teresa-toten-review.html#sthash.aoypggQ4.dpuf