Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - I'm the Girl

Deep in the mountains lies Aspera, a rustic resort reserved for only the wealthiest, most powerful people. And Georgia hears it calling for her. Finding herself in a mess of her own, Georgia stumbles across thirteen year old Ashley Jame’s dead body. Nora, Ashley’s sister, recruits Georgia to play detective, and the two grow closer as a new opportunity arises for Georgia. At Aspera.

Georgia is beautiful, and she knows it. As she learns how to use her beauty to reach her dreams, she discovers that this new world she’s in is more complicated than she once believed.

I’m the Girl, a young adult thriller, creatively showcases the struggle of a young woman longing to be seen and appreciated for her beauty with the reality of the male gaze. The story examines the sad, honest truth behind what those in positions of power will do to preserve their wealth and status, and how they manipulate others to hold their secrets.

Courtney Summers tackles some incredibly challenging realities such as sexual assualt, sexual identity, predatory and manipulative actions, and family struggles, amongst other things. This was a HEAVY read. I probably should’ve paced myself better and not read the entire story in 24 hours, but man, thrillers like this are nearly impossible to put down. Something about the changing of the seasons has got me into these dark and spooky, cabin-in-the-woods, thrillers.

Content Warnings

drraytay's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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thereadingraccoon's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I’m The Girl is a young adult mystery about a sixteen year old who discovers the body of a local girl. It contains thriller elements but it is also is a coming of age story. Due to the graphic nature of this book I recommend it to readers sixteen and older.

Georgia is struck by a car while riding her bike to Aspera, a golf course and resort for the rich and famous where she’s dreamed of working as one of their elite “girls” since she was thirteen. When she wakes up injured by the side of the road her bike, cell phone and the explicit photographs of herself she was carrying are all missing. While stumbling to find help Georgia discovers the body of Ashley James, the thirteen year old sheriff’s daughter in the brush nearby. As she recovers from her accident she’s enlisted by Ashley’s older sister (Nora) to investigate exactly what happened that night. But due to all the attention from the murder and accident and her youthful beauty she attracts the notice of the Aspera owners (Matthew and Cleo) and she’s finally closer than ever to being an actual “Aspera girl”. Georgia juggles her skeptical older brother slash guardian, a blossoming romance with Nora, unexpected demands at Aspera, the investigation into the murder and the demands for answers from Ashley’s grieving father.

As a reader you are very aware that something isn’t right with Aspera and only the main character’s age, naïveté and ambition keeps her from seeing the reality. It is a “ripped from the headlines” type novel echoing the #metoo movement and Jeffrey Epstein allegations as Georgia is pulled into a world of sex, money and power where the bodies of young girls are commodities to be bought and traded.

I will state right off that this is not the feel good book of 2022. It is dark and gritty and has detailed scenes of the grooming and exploitation of a minor. The mystery and thriller elements keep the reader interested but there are also serious topics of discussion about abuse of power, consent and female sexuality. I thought Courtney Summers did an excellent job of showing the more complicated and human parts of a teenage girl and her desire to be special and beautiful.

Overall this is a dark and tragic story about two teenage girls that are abused and exploited for the gratification of powerful men and the wall of secrecy that protects abusers. I would recommend it to readers that enjoy reading about challenging contemporary topics.

3.5 stars

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clarereadstheworld's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I found this book deeply disturbing.
I really struggled to identify with the main character, who was so desperate for any tiny scrap of validation from the male gaze that she was totally blind to how grossly she was being manipulated and abused by those around her. I know this kind of thing happens in real life, and it's important to have books and discussions about it, but I felt the writing, much like the main character was sorely missing in depth and maturity.
Not only this, I think it would be a rather dangerous book from the impressionable younger audience it seems to be written and marketed to. Seriously, do not let younger girls read this book, and even as a full grown semi mature adult I wouldn't really recommend it either.

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oracle_of_madness's review

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challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

4.0

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!!

This book hit me like an unstoppable force and I know deep in my bones that it has left a permanent imprint that will never leave me.

Georgia is the girl. She knows her place is to be an Aspera Girl. On her way to the beautiful high rolling country club, Aspera, she is hit by a car. When she revives still on the same road, she keeps heading for Aspera but winds up finding a dead body. Not just a dead body, but a girl she knew, Ashley, who was only 13 and just by looking at her Georgia could see she wasn't simply just murdered.

This story breaks apart the whole scenario of a teen, who in this case is a girl but could be anyone, that wants her dreams to come true so badly that she is blinded by the light of those dreams and cannot see what is actually happening to her and around her. This deals with quite a bit of sexual assault to the point that it was hard to read at times. This is a beautifully written story that really leaves an impact but please be aware of the content warnings.

Tw: sexual assault of a minor, unsettling depictions and scenes, violence and murder.

Out September 13, 2022!

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blueeyedshook's review

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Maybe the timing of my reading this book just wasn’t it. Maybe I’m not the biggest fan of Summers storytelling style (though her writing is beautiful).
But what I do know is that this is not a book I would recommend a teen. And the point of the book is to get an important message across to teens. But instead of teaching a valuable lesson and imparting a message, because of Georgia’s naïveté I feel like the message is more harmful.
It is also just a painful, disturbing book to read. Like make me physically ill. And I can only count a handful of books that have done that to me.
I just think it’s a bit too gritty and graphic for YA.

Content Warnings

bookcrushin's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book fucked me up. Not sure that’s a good or bad thing? All the content warnings. Be informed. Wonderfully crafted and written but this dark, suspenseful story isn’t for everyone.

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