Vigilante

This story's strength and focus is female empowerment, and while I am always here for female togetherness--the lack of realism in this novel dragged down an otherwise decent read.

Hadley's best friend is dead. She committed suicide after battling the after effects of being raped. After being sexually assaulted by the school's popular boys--she was slut shamed and took her own life as a result.

Hadley is not taking it lying down--and after a chance opportunity to get one of the guys back--she sets herself on a plan of revenge.

This is where the book started to lose me.

Let me explain.

Hadley's plan for revenge seemed to lose focus along the way, and became a movement she wasn't ready for.

What really threw the story off for me, was the fact that there were multiple public instances where women were physical (and almost sexually) assaulted, and Hadley, happened to only be a step away, pink mask in hand.

I didn't find it to be realistic. Once or twice, okay--but multiple times just seemed--like forced action, seeking real emotions. It wasn't believable, and, neither was the MC.

She came off as unrealistic. Her actions betrayed her emotions. But by the end, even though I didn't necessarily care for her, I agreed with her initial mission and the outcome of it.

I think a lot of women and girls will feel empowered and uplifted by the female empowerment aspect of this story. There was major girl power, and I think readers will appreciate that.

But, if you're like me, there will be some things that will set you back--the unrealistic instances, and Hadley's flat and almost life-less personality. I didn't buy a lot of the way she was. She was often crass when I felt like she didn't need to be, and she comes off as trying to be something she wasn't.

And the romance, the romance was dry at best. It was two people, two saddened people--who clearly needed help--psychiatric help--clinging to each other because it made sense. Maybe, it was easy. Maybe, they really did like each other, but the lack of sparks and depth made for a dull romance.

As a whole, the book is pretty...okay. It has the things that worked for it, and things that didn't.

I'd recommend it to readers who love girls who kick literal butt, and may not necessarily care about the rest of it.