Review for The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate

Natalie Hargrove has spent years plotting for her and her boyfriend Mike to take the throne as Palmetto high’s Prince and Princess. Nat knows better than anyone how to get what she wants having come from the wrong part of town, with a dad in prison and a mother who’s notorious for her string of marriages to climb up the social ladder. Natalie’s put sweat and blood into becoming one of the most popular girls in school and to be crowned Palmetto Princess is to be accepted. It means that she’s made it. So when blast from the past Justin threatens to ruin everything Natalie can’t help but pull what should be a harmless prank on him- just enough to insure that his reputation is damaged- but when a prank turns into murder Natalie’s plunged into a world of secrecy, deceit and guilt. Natalie soon realises that there are some forces that are not to be reckoned with and that fate and karma always has a way of catching up with you in the end… When I read reviews comparing this book to Macbeth and one of my all-time favourite films Cruel Intentions I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy this book and boy was I right! Every so often I love to read a dark, twisted, delicious tale and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove fit the bill perfectly. Reading this book is a bit like reading a gothic version of Gossip Girl. Natalie’s a heroine you’ll love to hate and the deadly secrets and betrayals will have you glued to this books pages. The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is such a hard book to review because it’s such a topsy turvey read. I’d like to say that I loved the characters but I didn’t they were shallow and selfish. I’d like to say that this is a fun enjoyable read but it isn’t instead its dark, quirky and packs a punch. Yet all of these things are what makes this book so damn good. It’s not your typical young adult read. It’s different and scandalous and shows that Lauren Kate isn’t afraid to write outside the norm. I don’t think that this is necessarily a book for everyone, but it was just the grim, deadly sort of book that I love to read. It’s a story about fate and karma. It’s about your past catching up with you and atoning for your mistakes. It’s a book where not everything is quiet what it seems. It’s kind of like bitter black coffee or dark chocolate your either going to love it or hate it, but if you like your books edgy and grim or are looking for something a little different to anything else out there at the moment I would most definitely recommend this book. My Rating 4/5 stars **** Thanks go to Random House for sending me this book to review