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Wasted Pretty: An Alice Burton Book

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"Wasted Pretty is a beautiful, touching novel that I wish I had when I was all of the things Alice Burton a fierce, strong teenager learning how to navigate her changing body, developing heart, and powerful mind." –Mayim Bialik, Big Bang Theory, Blossom, and founder of Grok Nation

During junior year of high school, star student and stellar lacrosse player Alice Burton grew four inches, and, thanks to her mom’s experimental health food products, shed twenty pounds. Alice has mixed feelings about her surprising transformation.

On the plus Chris Thompson, the hot college guy she has a crush on, talks to her.

On the minus Her dad's creepy friend, professional athlete Karl Bell, lets his eyes, and his hugs, linger too long.

After a disturbing encounter in a dark hallway, Alice realizes the response some men have to her new body isn’t just disgusting, it’s dangerous. Her life is further complicated by her parents’ crumbling finances and the family’s entanglement with Karl.

Set in Pittsburgh in 1992, Wasted Pretty is about a girl determined to protect her body, her future, and her heart.

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2019

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Jamie Beth Cohen

2 books37 followers

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5 stars
77 (44%)
4 stars
40 (22%)
3 stars
34 (19%)
2 stars
17 (9%)
1 star
7 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Ally.
31 reviews
April 25, 2023
My first ever DNF...While I tried my very best to love this book, I just couldn't get over the lack of connection the author had with teenagers. The book hit on some very important themes and subjects but just as quickly went over them. It left me with so many questions. But it lacked a basic plot, and character development on a level besides mistake after mistake. Just wasn't for me...
Profile Image for PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps .
2,394 reviews229 followers
November 12, 2019
1 STAR

Alice, coming of age in the 1990s, deals with the pressures of misogyny and sexual harassment.

I didn’t enjoy WASTED PRETTY and am not sure why Jamie Beth Cohen chose to set the story in the early 1990s except perhaps to tell a story when romantic relationships between older high school students and younger college kids wasn’t taboo. I graduated from high school in 1982 and would bet most women in my generation experienced being treated as a sexual object.

When Alice is ogled at by an adult family friend, whose behavior escalates, she knows his behavior is wrong and creepy. I had similar experiences at her age and knew I didn’t like it, but not how wrong it was. As much as I empathized with Alice, I found her hard to embrace, in part because of her dishonesty. Her parents were horrible as was her overbearing brother. Chris was the only character I liked in the book.

I hated the non-ending of WASTED PRETTY most of all.

I can’t think of a reason to recommend WASTED PRETTY.
Profile Image for Liza Wiemer.
Author 5 books676 followers
May 2, 2021
Set in 1992 Pittsburgh, Wasted Pretty draws the reader into the transformative life of Alice Burton, a sixteen-year-old turning seventeen and the attention both young men and older men give her because of her body. This is such a critical issue to read and discuss with our sons and daughters—objectifying women as well as sexual harassment and abuse.

Brava to Jamie Beth Cohen for shining an important spotlight on gambling issues, family disfunction, body image, and the horrendous issue of sexual harassment/abuse. #MeToo heightened the awareness to this issue and helped to hold predatory men (and women) accountable. But it's not enough. This novel emphasized that the hideous excuse of "Boys will be boys and men will be men" is unacceptable. There is a scene that made me fall in love with Alice's best friend, Meredith. Her fierceness and courage had me cheering.

This novel also opens the door to discussions about relationships between high schoolers and college-aged young adults. What age gap would you be comfortable with?

There is a sequel coming and I can't wait to discover what happens next. Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Desiré Oosthuizen.
280 reviews3 followers
April 10, 2020
Audiobook Review

I will start with the easiest part that is the narration, it was good a few back ground noises but nothing off putting or taking away from the story being told, would I have preferred an age and gender appropriate narrator of cause. But all and all the narrator did good work.

Now for the book! How could it just end like that? I was listening to this book I laughed, I cried and I could relate I gave it 5 stars in my head and then it just ended. I really enjoyed it so much, it got my out of my listening slump. But I don't know now. Is there going to be another book? When?

Please don't change the narrator if there is going to be a follow up on her story unless it is from someone else perspective.
Profile Image for Pamela Rosensteel.
196 reviews26 followers
November 16, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. In some respects I felt it was written pretty well but there were a couple things that just ruined it for me. First off, the hero's name is Chris Thompson and you'll never forget it, because for the first 27 chapters the author writes his name out in full. In fact, there was one sentence that had his first and last name written out three times. Three times in one sentence. It drove me nuts! Then I noticed after the author started using only his first name more often, I realized that another character was written out first and last name unnecessarily.

As for the ending ... it sucked! I feel bad about being so harsh but I like a book to have a happily ever after and this one most definitely did not. Chris and Alice became close, spending as much time together as they could without her father (or brother, for that matter) finding out. She wanted to take the relationship to the next level (sex) and he always pulled away. At first I understood it because she was sixteen, turned seventeen and he was older. I can't recall his age. I'm not even sure it was mentioned. But he never explained why he didn't want to take that step with her. And frankly I was annoyed that Alice, after being turned down again, went to a party, had a few drinks and went and had sex with a guy who'd been after her for awhile. And she was a virgin at the time. But her explanation for doing that was because she thought that Chris maybe didn't want to sleep with a virgin. But as far as I can remember, he had no idea she was a virgin. So that excuse made no sense.

Also, there were elements of the story that had absolutely no resolution. A grown man who was touching her inappropriately ended up taking off with her car after getting into a fight with her father, leaving her father in a medically induced coma. You don't know whether she got her car back, whether the guy had anything done to him because of the inappropriate touching, or what really happened to put her father in the hospital. He was still in a coma when the book ended although she was told he'd be okay. Then when she tries to get a hold of Chris, she can't. So she walks to his place from the hospital to find his apartment is cleaned out except for some furniture that must have been there when he moved in. A friend of hers gives her a letter from Chris. In it he tells her about a job offer he received from a band and he took off to Australia. There was a mention of him coming back some day but that's it.

Honestly, I wish that I'd never read this book. If there is supposed to be a second book, it would have been nice to know that in advance. Although knowing that wouldn't really have made a big difference in my opinion of it. But it might have explained why so much was left hanging.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for chels marieantoinette.
811 reviews7 followers
November 22, 2019
I liked the idea of this book, but it fell short.
The whole set-in-the-90s part excited me. It was unnecessary, but I liked all the references.
I also really didn’t understand Alice’s parents or brother. They were all genuinely horrible. As the child of a mother who put me on wild diets, I wasn’t totally surprised, but it was still sad to read. And the dad seemed like such a shady, sketchy asshole going out drinking with creepy baseball players and hating teenage soccer players and chastising his daughter. I mean, when she’s groped by an old man and he accused her of being drunk (at 17-years-old). The brother was frustrating because everyone worshipped him but I never saw what was so worshipable - he just seemed overbearing and into himself.
I can’t say I was a fan of the love story, either - 90s or not, she was still a minor and it still wasn’t appropriate, even if she thought he was the “hottest guy ever.” And I don’t believe a college guy in a rock band would fall for a moody teenage girl who shows up crying all the time.
The way Alice came and went from her house at all hours was silly to me, too. I mean, it happens, but she just seemed to have no direction or discipline and she didn’t make great choices with her freedom so I had a hard time sympathizing with her when I was supposed to.
I love the best friend, though: Meredith. She’s a great character.
“I guess we all need a crazy-bitch who’s a little bit drunk and a little bit hopped up on diet pills in our corner.”
Like I said, great concepts, not necessarily executed well. I felt like quite a few things were left unexplained and unfinished, but I didn’t *hate* it.
I’d recommend Wasted Pretty to anyone into teen drama, family drama, music lovers, forbidden love, and coming-of-age stories.
Profile Image for Rebecca Thatcher-Murcia.
Author 1 book7 followers
July 10, 2019
Jamie Beth Cohen’s Wasted Pretty delves into the maddening, mysterious and often secretive world of teen-age girls in a story that is utterly captivating and believable. From the first page, when Alice notes that her father has given her new responsibilities as part of his radio show, and that with those responsibilities come both opportunities and dangers, I found it very hard to put the book down. At times I wondered why the character made such questionable decisions, but although Alice suddenly has a very mature body, her brain seems to be that of a pretty normal adolescent. As the summer winds on, and Alice tries to figure out how to escape the tentacles of her father’s important business partner and have a healthy relationship with her first love, the tension builds to a boiling point. Although promoted as a young adult novel, I’d recommend it to anyone interested in a great story about a young woman coming of age in Pittsburgh, which is also a searing denunciation of the kind of sexual harassment and sexual assault that we used to just call normal life but is now getting the attention it deserves.

Profile Image for Ally.
498 reviews4 followers
January 14, 2021
Full disclosure - I am friends with the author. But I am also unbiased! I can't remember the last time I read a book that so completely sent me back to a time and place. Now, my place was college in California, instead of High School in PA, but the details of what the early 90s were like was spot-on. The offhanded mention of certain things was like a memory gut punch (but, you know, a good punch). For that alone I was sucked in to the story right from the start. But nostalgia wasn't all that kept me going. I liked the book throughout, and thought it was a very realistic look at how trauma can permeate every aspect of life, and it really hit on the questioning aspect - what did I do? could I have done something differently? was this really so bad?, etc. But I also really liked the quirkier and unique aspects of this (the whole diet runner, lacrosse instead of all the other expected sports). I'm ready for the sequel!
93 reviews
June 10, 2022
whew! It is tough being a teen

This book is so spot on that I found myself reliving scenes from my own teen years. No private schools, different environment, but plenty of insecurity, elitism, pressure (to excel, to fit in by doing things you would rather not, and men who think there’s always open season on teen girls. I truly think being an adolescent and then teenage girl is the worse for most (it was for me and all my friends say the same). Jamie Beth Cohen really captures The confusion and craziness that comes with growing up authentically. I’d recommend this both for teenaged girls and for mothers of teenaged girls. This story exemplifies why parents need to foster good communication from the start, the kind that encourages their child to talk freely with them instead of distancing and trying to slog through on their own (as so many of us did and do). I’ll seek more books by this author.
Profile Image for Angela Bigler.
18 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2019
I can’t applaud Jamie enough on this gem of a book—true to itself in every way. I read it in one sitting because I was so engrossed in Alice’s journey, a journey I could so easily fall into because of its vivid, emotional richness. So many people write off the feelings of young people and the challenges they face, but Jamie tells the truth through Alice, a teenager filled with depth and emotion. Alice speaks to us in a raw, clear voice as she navigates serious and confusing issues relating to her body image, love, friendship, sex, sexual assault and dysfunction in the family. I found this book to be completely relatable and it will resonate with teenagers and adults equally—male and female alike. I’m so glad I read it!


4 reviews
November 22, 2019
I finished reading "Wasted Pretty" months ago and the characters are still strong in my mind. Jamie Beth Cohen tells the story of a teenage girl in all her imperfections, struggles and desires in a way that rings true. This is a book without cookie-cutter characters: they aren't heroes and villains, but real people with flaws and foibles, which is part of what makes the story gripping and true-to-life. In addition, the story explores sexual topics (including sexual assault) with dignity and grace. I recommend Wasted Pretty to anyone who enjoys a coming-of-age narrative about the true inner life of a teenage girl.
Profile Image for Anna.
158 reviews3 followers
December 2, 2019
I'm pretty torn about this book. At first, I really liked it, despite certain characters always being referred to by their full names.
But the romance between a 16/17 year old and a 20/21 year old made me itch a little, especially since the elder was too emotionally mature for their age.
A mother putting her teen on a diet bothered me, even though I know it's not uncommon.
And the non-ending was pretty disappointing.

It does touch on difficult subjects fairly well, however, and the pace is good. If a book bores me I simply don't finish, but I wasn't bored. It just feels incomplete.
Profile Image for Amy Hill.
3 reviews
April 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down. Great character development. It brought to life being 16 again - the good and bad we went through in our teens. Remembering a first love, our awkward new bodies especially when others start responding differently to you as a woman, the fear around harassment and excuses we make for when we that happens - is all very well brought to life in this enjoyable book. Great job!
May 4, 2019
MUST READ FOR MEN WHO WANT TO UNDERSTAND WOMEN BETTER!

This book follows a 16 year old girl as she encounters the pluses and minuses of developing into an attractive woman and the wanted and unwanted attention she faces. This is a must read for men who wish to understand the challenges women encounter.

Jamie Beth Cohen did an outstanding job with this book. Can’t wait to read the sequel! Very easy to read and engaging. Couldn’t put the book down!
Profile Image for Daphne.
21 reviews
September 19, 2019
As a grandmother, I thought this book probably wasn’t for me. 45 years ago- yes. Sitting down to page one, I decided to read Bell’s “coming of age” book with the eyes of a teenager. It didn’t take long to remember all those insecurities, body awareness woes, pressures of school and emotions (that most of us girls experienced). Tough times and yet almost an essential part of becoming women. Bell also makes us remember first loves and how all of these life lessons will play their part in shaping the women we become. I recommend the book!
199 reviews
June 18, 2019
Every teenager (female and male) should read this coming of age novel that deals with some very sensitive subjects - family dynamics, first love, underage drinking, body image, sexual harassment. Jamie Beth Cohen does a wonderful job of addressing these issues while telling a story of growing up in the early 1990s in Pittsburgh, PA.
Profile Image for Bryn Holmes.
50 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2021
I picked up this book as I was trying to write a coming-of-age story myself. I then enjoyed all the trials and wonders that Alice was faced with as a young woman who was seeking to make her way in a world of the 1990s. I rather liked the fact that the characters around her are not perfect including her own family - her mother and father as well as her love interest .
Profile Image for Jessica Russak-Hoffman.
82 reviews9 followers
July 22, 2019
It took me two or three chapters to be sucked in, but once I was, I couldn't put it down and read and read and read until I was staring off into the distance wondering how the author got the 90s soooooo right! This was so good.
2 reviews
October 1, 2019
I'm 72 and wish I had had this book to read when I was 16...or 12..or 22. The slang was different but the situations were believable and the characters familiar.

I would recommend for anyone at any age.
Profile Image for Kait Linton.
6 reviews
July 5, 2023
This was the book that made me fall in love with fiction again. Two chapters in and I was hooked. Jamie Beth Cohen’s masterful storytelling made for a real page turner and I reveled in every relatable moment in the world of Alice Burton.
Profile Image for Angela.
2 reviews
April 14, 2019
This novel is well-written and wholly enjoyable! While the story is set in the 1990’s, the story, issues covered, and character development are highly relevant to current day.
1 review
April 19, 2019
Jaime Beth reminds us of the complex teen years when we face adult situations without the benefit of adult skills.
April 19, 2019
Great book.

More than your typical YA book, it is deeper and addresses a sad but all too true topic.

Highly recommend not just for teenagers, but their parents as well. (less)
Profile Image for Melissa.
69 reviews
May 21, 2019
Wasted Pretty elicits those coming-of-age emotions that can get buried in adulthood. Highly recommend for a weekend of rediscovery.
7 reviews4 followers
May 30, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! It’s a fantastic summer read full of drama, heartbreak, and emotional rollercoasters, and it also comments on complex social issues like sexual abuse, relationships, and body image. This coming-of-age book truly captures the struggles of being a teenage girl. Although it is set in the 1990s, it resonates with teenagers today and is a truly enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Isabelle.
187 reviews4 followers
July 2, 2019
Incredible, heartbreaking, endearing.

I loved this book so much. I fell in love with the plot, the characters, the story. Overall, a stunning read.
Profile Image for Kit Frick.
Author 10 books625 followers
Read
December 21, 2019
Jamie Beth Cohen drew me in completely with this heartfelt and deeply honest coming-of-age story steeped in the world of rock ‘n’ roll and radio and shot through with the ache of first love.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews

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