Vain (Seven Deadly, #1)

by Fisher Amelie

[Angie]

I was completely expecting Vain to just be a story about a stuck up girl who gets changed by the power of love. Well, that is not what this story is at all. Not even close. Sophie Price is the embodiment of vanity. Her face, hair, and clothes must be flawless at all times. She uses her looks to get what she wants. But what she wants most is love and attention from her parents which she never gets. At least until one too many drug charges lands Sophie in court. Her father is fed up with her behavior since it interferes with his business interests. Of course, jail time would look even worse, so he gets her sent to Uganda for six months. There Sophie is surrounded by the world's ugliness, but also finds something beautiful: herself.

I loved Vain! Like seriously loved it! Even in the beginning when Sophie was the most bitchiest bitch that ever bitched, I loved it. The author managed to not make her a caricature. Sophie felt completely real to me, even if I hated her. Then she lands in Africa and everything is different. Immediately Sophie takes in the beautiful scenery, but then she meets the children of the orphanage where she'll be working. These children have all nearly died and most of them are missing limbs or other parts of their body. But they keep smiling and they're excited to have Sophie join them. It's through them (and one little girl in particular) that Sophie beings to appreciate life and realizes that she's worth more than just her face. She also finds love there among the children and the woman who runs it. This isn't an overnight transformation. Sophie realizes that the world is much bigger than her mansion, but it still takes several weeks for it all to sink in.

Of course, Vain does have a romance. Ian is there to greet Sophie and drive her to the orphanage. He's also her hut mate and she works with him teaching the children during school hours. He hates her at first, too! He knows why she's there, and hates that she's forced to be there and will just up and leave after her sentence. But later Ian admits that he was quick to judge her. Just because she wasn't there by choice, didn't mean she wasn't getting anything out of her time there or that she wasn't serious about helping the children. The two grow close over time, and then fall in love. There is a drama that tears them apart. It was a bit much, but both of them come from powerful families who tend to over do things anyway, so I just went with it. It certainly didn't make me enjoy the story any less.

Vain made me cry. Twice. The first time was out of sadness, since I was so invested in the story and bad things happen and Sophie is just upset so I was upset with her! The second time was out of happiness, because Sophie does the right thing and helps others finally see the light. And it's just hopeful! Humanity sucks in general, but there are good people out there.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.