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katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
A teen crime/getaway thriller, very funny, with some slightly amoral characters who are good at heart but very enjoyable to watch causing mayhem.
This would make a great film - twins Paisley and Beau seem to live in a soap opera of a world where at the age of 6 they found their mother dead and survived in the woods for a few days after running scared. Ten years later, Beau is living with his money-skimming grandmother (the Skankmother), Paisley is trying to get herself expelled from another boarding school, and their jailbird father is nowhere to be found.
Paisley (always the stronger-willed of the two) persuades her brother to go with her to Las Vegas in search of their missing family, and this is where their story turns into a road movie / crime thriller. It twists into almost a new story, fast between scenes and ideas, as the twins try to take control of their lives.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which worked well between the two voices characterising the two very different twins. Their development was well done, and I really liked following the story.
Lots of exciting moments, Paisley definitely the better written of the two (Beau comes across as particularly whiny on the audio version). It has a great cartoon-style villainess, and as I mentioned before, would work well on the screen.
One for 12-16 year olds. Some bad language and sexual language, guns form part of the plot and there are threats and injury to the protagonists.
This would make a great film - twins Paisley and Beau seem to live in a soap opera of a world where at the age of 6 they found their mother dead and survived in the woods for a few days after running scared. Ten years later, Beau is living with his money-skimming grandmother (the Skankmother), Paisley is trying to get herself expelled from another boarding school, and their jailbird father is nowhere to be found.
Paisley (always the stronger-willed of the two) persuades her brother to go with her to Las Vegas in search of their missing family, and this is where their story turns into a road movie / crime thriller. It twists into almost a new story, fast between scenes and ideas, as the twins try to take control of their lives.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which worked well between the two voices characterising the two very different twins. Their development was well done, and I really liked following the story.
Lots of exciting moments, Paisley definitely the better written of the two (Beau comes across as particularly whiny on the audio version). It has a great cartoon-style villainess, and as I mentioned before, would work well on the screen.
One for 12-16 year olds. Some bad language and sexual language, guns form part of the plot and there are threats and injury to the protagonists.
heyjudy's review
3.0
My review, containing spoilers, is here: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2011/09/review-pretty-bad-things-by-cj-skuse.html
duartepatri's review
3.0
It was a different story...I am more of romance/paranormal/dystopian books and this one tells the story of two teenagers who are looking for their father, in their quest they have to do all sort of things, from putting themselves into danger to threatening other people with a gun. I felt very strongly for their past, being twins their bond seemed stronger than the average, sharing a very tough background was their unbreakable link.
mari_escapeinabook's review against another edition
4.0
My summary:
Sixteen year old twins Beau and Paisley Argent lost their mum years ago and their dad went to prison and after that they didn't hear from him. Since then they lived with a cruel and selfish grandmother who cares more for money than her grandchildren. Good old grandmother sent Paisley to boarding school(several actually) because she was to difficult to handle but Beau have always been a good little boy never causing any trouble.. That is until the day Beau figures out that their grandmother has been keeping secrets, a whole box of secrets containing letters from their dad. It's showtime and the reader is taken for a ride to Las Vegas robbing candy stores with the twins.
My thoughts:
Beau and Paisley is such a great pair of siblings, they are just such opposites; one calm, the other one a bit crazy never really stopping to think about the consequences of their actions. The twins will take you for a fun ride that's for sure.
The chapters alternates between Paisley and Beau telling us about their adventure and it works quite well for me. I'm was not always overjoyed by Paisleys voice because it didn't always seem that authentic but she grew on me as she developed throughout the book.
All in all a entertaining read and I want more, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.
The cover:
Lovely and pink just like some of the candy being stolen.
Sixteen year old twins Beau and Paisley Argent lost their mum years ago and their dad went to prison and after that they didn't hear from him. Since then they lived with a cruel and selfish grandmother who cares more for money than her grandchildren. Good old grandmother sent Paisley to boarding school(several actually) because she was to difficult to handle but Beau have always been a good little boy never causing any trouble.. That is until the day Beau figures out that their grandmother has been keeping secrets, a whole box of secrets containing letters from their dad. It's showtime and the reader is taken for a ride to Las Vegas robbing candy stores with the twins.
My thoughts:
Beau and Paisley is such a great pair of siblings, they are just such opposites; one calm, the other one a bit crazy never really stopping to think about the consequences of their actions. The twins will take you for a fun ride that's for sure.
The chapters alternates between Paisley and Beau telling us about their adventure and it works quite well for me. I'm was not always overjoyed by Paisleys voice because it didn't always seem that authentic but she grew on me as she developed throughout the book.
All in all a entertaining read and I want more, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.
The cover:
Lovely and pink just like some of the candy being stolen.
heykellyjensen's review
2.0
I thought the voices of Paisley and Beau were great, but then they got to be over-the-top. I kinda felt the whole thing tried a little too hard to be edgy and unique, but it flopped for me as a reader.
I didn't find myself all that compelled to care about the characters or their story in the end.
I didn't find myself all that compelled to care about the characters or their story in the end.
missymouse's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really fun read aimed for older teenagers. Good plot, the characters were fantastic, flawed and seemed real. The ending felt slightly rushed and was a tad disappointing but it still was a good fast read.
dairyqueen84's review
1.0
The characters were cardboard figures with no real depth to them. Paisley had no redeeming qualities and I found her violent behavior and vulgar language offensive, even though bad language doesn't usully bother me in YA novels.
trikaratops's review
5.0
This novel was a bright story about a couple of siblings that chase after the ways of the infamous Bonnie and Clyde. They hit up Las Vegas while looking for their father and discover something about themselves in the mix. Go here for my full review: http://epicbooknerd.blogspot.com/2011/08/pretty-bad-things-by-cj-skuse.html
aprilbooksandwine's review
3.0
Twins are so cool. No, really, they are. Especially ones who are on the wrong side of the law. Pretty Bad Things by CJ Skuse hits my list for what is cool and what is not, when it comes to twins. If you are looking for a fast read that just begs you to keep flipping the pages, you’ve come to the right book. Pretty Bad Things is one of those white knuckle books. Although it has it’s fair share of flaws, I ended up liking CJ Skuse’s young adult contemporary book about teenage criminals on the whole.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and link will work on February 4, 2014
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and link will work on February 4, 2014
foreveryoungadult's review against another edition
Graded By: Poshdeluxe
Cover Story: Double Brown Bag It
BFF Charm: Yay & Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 1
Talky Talk: Talk Dirty To Me
Bonus Factors: Legend of Billie Jean, Las Vegas
Relationship Status: Innocent Bystander
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Double Brown Bag It
BFF Charm: Yay & Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 1
Talky Talk: Talk Dirty To Me
Bonus Factors: Legend of Billie Jean, Las Vegas
Relationship Status: Innocent Bystander
Read the full book report here.