Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette’s desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best. – Goodreads

Ballet is totally fascinating to me. I wanted so badly to be a ballerina when I was little, but that never ended up happening so anytime there is a ballet book or a ballet movie/show, I’m all in! This one really caught my eye because it’s been described as Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars, and I LOVE Pretty Little Liars. So many high hopes for this!! But my hopes came crashing down about a quarter of the way through when I realized that, yes, it had that air of mystery and drama that I love, but no, it wasn’t good.

My main issue with Tiny Pretty Things is that there were way too many voices, and to me, it didn’t feel like there was any pattern or order in which we read them. I’ve read books with 3 narrators before, but this felt so overwhelming! So many details and specifics that happened to each girl, and with the opening of the story being someone totally different? It really threw me off and in the end, I didn’t really relate to any of them because I couldn’t get to know them well enough. It was really disappointing. It felt like the authors really wanted me, as a reader, to get to know so many people (all the girls, Henri, Alec, etc.) but it didn’t work that way at all. Finishing the book, I feel like I didn’t really know any of them and like it was a huge waste of time. It would have been SO much better coming from one perspective instead of 3.

Honestly, I can’t really think of anyone I’d recommend this to. It wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read, but I do wish I could get those hours back & spend them on a book I’d love. I ended up giving it 2/5 stars on Goodreads, which I hate doing! Hopefully the next book I read is better.