So Pretty It Hurts by Kate White (thoughts)

So Pretty It Hurts had all of the ingredients of a good mystery in the making but unfortunately I found it to be lacking.  Part of this may be my fault as I'm jumping in to the middle of a series (which I absolutely hate) but I didn't realize when I picked it up that it was part of a series.  The story begins when Bailey Weggins goes on a weekend away with a close friend of hers to a house in the country.  Bailey finds herself closed in with a bunch of strangers including a famous model named Devin Barr while a snowstorm brews outside.  When Devin is found dead the real mystery begins...

Like I said previously, this book had all of the ingredients for a really good thriller or mystery.  An isolated house in the country, a snowstorm that cuts off contact with the rest of the world, a dead body....what more could you ask for?  For whatever reasons though, this book just didn't quite work for me.  One of my main problems that I had was that I never connected with Bailey.  I'm not sure that if I had read the previous books in this series if it would be an issue but I just never quite figured Bailey out.  Her actions and need to "figure out" the mystery just rang a bit false.  And I just didn't connect which took away from my enjoyment of the book.  On a more positive note, I really enjoyed the creepy setting that the author created with this book.  I loved the tense atmosphere during the time of the snowstorm and after Devin's body had been found.  The author has a knack for creating really great settings as I felt similarly when I read The Sixes by her.  I just wish that I had been more interested in the mystery and characters in this book.

Overall, I found that this just wasn't the book that I had been expecting.  I didn't hate it by any means but found it to only be an okay read.  If you are thinking about trying this author, I would recommend The Sixes instead which I found to be a much better read.  As for me, I think that I'll go back and start with book one in this series at some point.  Because I'm hoping that it will help with my lack of connection to Bailey and because the author has such a knack for great settings.  Recommended with reservations (unless you are already a fan of this series...then I'm sure that you will enjoy it more than I did).

Bottom Line:  A mystery that could have been so much more...

Disclosure:  I was sent a copy of this book from the publisher.  The thoughts are my own.

I thought I should share a link to my thoughts on The Sixes since I enjoyed this book so much more.