Flawless (Pretty Little Liars, Book 2)

The second in the series. Like the first, it is just fine. It's not great, but I've also read worse. This time around, we are treated to more intrigue and the drama of living with a creepy stalker.

What has struck me the most in this series, however, is how unflinchingly cruel the parents mostly seem to be. Admittedly, I am already on the third one and they're blurring a little, but the parents all seem to have this wickedly mean streak.

For example, Spencer has a steamy, half-naked make-out session with her sister's boyfriend. Yeah, okay, that's bad. And she's kind of done that once before, so double bad. However, her parents move her out of her new living space and back into her old one (I get that), but then also refuse to speak to her for a week, cancel her credit and debit cards, and even refuse to acknowledge her on the day of her murdered best friend's funeral. I thought that was going a bit far. I understand that your child has behaved in a manner you don't condone, but I am not sure that merits leaving them to sit in shock, getting dew in their hair, on your front lawn when the police find their murdered best friend's corpse next door. That's a bit cold.

Another example is poor Hanna. Her mother is much worse in this book -- ultra skinny bitch, ultra workaholic, no love, no affection, no time, nothing, just a huge allowance to spend on Fendi and Prada and Louboutins. But apparently I am not fashionable enough for my dictionary to recognize Fendi and Louboutins; but Prada yes! Go Prada. Anyhow, Hanna is out at dinner with her dad and her dad's soon-to-be new family (which includes perfect snake Kate who seems like Hanna's friend but is secretly out to get her, obviously [come on, Hanna, even I saw that one coming]). She gets a text from A that says someone is hooking up with her recent ex-boyfriend. So, she skips out on dinner, Kate making an excuse for her (try getting her in trouble) and goes to Rosewood to confront said girl and ex-boyfriend. When she returns, dad who has been on radio silence for three years completely blows up (there may be some contraband that Kate took involved, as well), and kicks her out of the hotel they were staying at, not even giving her a chance to explain. How petty and childish. She is well shot of him. Then, her mom shows up, they ride home "in stony silence," and upon returning home, her mother slams the door in her face and locks her out of the house, again like a petulant child. REALLY? What crazy people. Hanna manages to get back in, but her mother is absolutely mortified that Hanna would do something like that! Again, really? I feel like my parents would have gotten seriously annoyed, but mostly about the fact that I didn't tell them about it and took public transportation by myself to the next town over (overprotective parents, what are you gonna do?). We would have talked about it, probably they would have grounded me or revoked some privileges for a week or two, I would have apologized, they would have apologized, and that would be that.

This new, added level of cruelty to the parents in this series makes me feel all the worse for the girls. Right now, they don't have each other for support and they really don't have their family. It's no wonder their lives are literally crumbling.

Stayed tuned for book 3!