GUEST REVIEW: Ruthless by Sara Shepard

Title: Ruthless
Series: Pretty Little Liars, #10
Author: Sara Shepard
Genre: Young Adult
Source: review copy from publisher
Published: December 2011 by HarperTeen

For years scandal has rocked Rosewood, Pennsylvania—and high school seniors Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer have always been at the center of the drama. They’ve lost friends, been targeted by a ruthless stalker named A, and narrowly escaped death. And it’s not over yet.

Aria’s love life is on the fritz. Emily’s exploring her wild side. Hanna’s kissing the enemy. And someone from Spencer’s past—someone she never thought she’d see again—is back to haunt her.

But none of that compares to what happened last spring break. It’s their darkest secret yet and guess who found out? Now A is determined to make them pay for their crime, and the only thing scarier than A is the fear that maybe, just maybe, they deserve what’s coming to them.

Reviewed by Terra:

First of all I am so glad to be here at The Book Vixen.  I've been following this blog for some time now, and it is a privilege to be here doing a guest review! So thank you!

I must say, this is one of the best PPL books I've read.  When I first started the books, I was a little weary because I thought they were a little too childish for me.  Since reading all of them they have become my guilty pleasure reads.  Like chocolate for me.  I love the way Sara writes, how she describes every detail.  She brings you into the story and makes you feel like you are there, trying to solve the mystery of A with the rest of the Rosewood girls.

With what happened last Spring Break in Jamaica with the fab 4; Aria, Spencer, Hanna and Emily, they thought their troubles were over and left in a different country.  Out of sight out of mind right? WRONG!  Since their return to Rosewood things have gotten worse and the girls have gone on a downward spiral.  Emily has a little surprise of her own, Spencer tries anything to get into Princeton which does a number on her mental state and friendship.  Aria deals with the blackmail of the new exchange student and losing her boyfriend.  She also has to deal with the return of Ezra.  Hanna gets stuck in the middle of something terrible trying to help out Spencer as well as another heartbreak while helping her dad with his election.

*Sigh* So much drama and so little time! Tailing the major problems with the girls, up pops another A! That's right! But you already knew that. This time A hits below the belt and she knows things that no one should know about like the incident in Jamaica.  The 4 girls were there with themselves, Noel and Mike.  That's it! Along the way they did meet a girl named Tabitha but what happened there was supposed to be secret.  With Tabitha supposedly dead, the girls are racking their brains on who could possibly be sending them the anonymous texts.  Unless...Tabitha never really died that day Aria pushed her off the cliff.

In comes a new friend, Kelsey.  Spencer has every right to keep her distance from Kelsey since she is the reason that Kelsey was locked up in Juvie.  Keeping her secret, as all the girls have with their time apart.  But when Kelsey gets out and ends up meeting Em at a party with her older sister Beth, she brings out the "bad" side of Emily.  Emily had a much needed release at the party after her big "secret" and became friends with Kelsey.  Spencer learns about their new friendship and tell Em that she is bad news, and ends up telling her that she had Hanna help her with getting Kelsey put away.  Well wouldn't ya know it, the fab 4 gals from Rosewood are getting more and more violent texts from A and whenever they see Kelsey it's right when they happen to get a text.  Let's pin it on her right?  One thing, when they get the texts, they all hear a faint giggle and see the flash of blonde hair and that yellow sundress.  The yellow sundress they last saw in Jamaica.

The story kept me guessing, is it Kelsey, is Tabitha back, is it Noel or Mike?  Who the heck is A?! Right when you think you know for sure, you never do.  Towards the end of the story the girls find themselves back at the looney bin where the REAL Ali was, and where Hanna had bet who she thought was A, Iris. Quite a bit of twists and turns, and I don't want to ruin the whole story for you, but like I said, it was one of the best for me.  I love the books that make me comment out loud while I am reading.  I can't tell you how many times I said "Ohhhhhhhh snap!" or "Ohhhhhhhmygosh!"  This 10th installment of the PPL series was a fantastic, fun, thrilling, read that kept me on the edge of my seat.  Loved it, and I loved seeing the girls go through some more REAL LIFE problems instead of just getting in trouble with their parents.

If you are one of the few that haven't read the PPL series, get out there and get it! It's a fun mystery read! (Not to mention a fashion dictionary.  I can't tell you how many times I googled a brand, LOL) Happy Reading all, and thank you again to The Book Vixen for inviting me over!

Terra’s Rating: