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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
A great causal read, and would be an excellent introduction to mystery/thriller for young adults / those new to the genre. Check content warnings because there are a LOT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Bisexual daughter of a con-artist with a new identity gets trapped in an active bank robbery with her ex-boyfriend and new girlfriend.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was perfection, I read it on one sitting. It’s unlike everything I’ve ever read. Can’t recommend enough.
💔 Powerful, Raw, and Deeply Human
The Girls I’ve Been is one of those books that quietly reaches into your chest and doesn’t let go.
It’s not just a thriller — though it absolutely keeps your heart racing — it’s also a story about identity, survival, and what it means to reclaim your voice after life tries to take it from you. There’s a strength in the way this book handles hard topics — not by flinching or glamorizing them, but by honoring the resilience it takes to move through them.
The main character is layered, flawed, smart, and so real it almost hurts. You’ll find pieces of yourself in her — in the ways she protects herself, in the walls she builds, and in her quiet determination to be more than what she’s endured.
This story reminds you that healing isn’t linear, and people are more than the labels the world tries to give them. It’s about survival, yes — but it’s also about learning how to live again.
If you’ve ever felt like you had to hide who you really are just to make it through, this book will speak to you. Loudly. Gently. Honestly.
dark
mysterious
Just amazing. Knew this one was gonna be 5 stars from chapter 1. Nora is my kind of girl. The writing is so good, the pacing is amazing, the characters are so unique and personal and just the quotes damn. I need to buy it and get my markers out (read from library). Also one of the best cases of found family
the book was much better than i kind of expected it to be! it's not that i had low expectations i just didn't know it'd be THIS good. morally grey characters, dealing with severe trauma, relationships with parents and friends, trying despite being so, so tired. and sapphics. and well structured characters. and beautiful writing! i enjoyed every page and was so excited to sit down and keep reading.
Not my normal go to book but I really enjoyed this. Was a easy read. A times I did get a little confused with all the different names but it got a little less complicated the more I read. I loved Nora and how strong she was, enjoyed seeing her relationship/friendship. Was obsessed with her relationship with her sister it was the sweetest.
I thinj this was mostly bc I was not the target audience but I did not like the writing, the tone, the style, the narration, and the ending was not satisfying. However, I appreciated that it did not shy away from hard topics.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. If you were looking for a fast-paced book then look no further than, The Girls I’ve Been. Nora O’Malley is not like other girls, she was raised to be a con artist and is exceptionally good at what she does. After spending her formative years with her vindictive and unhealthy con artist mother she now is living a pretty normal life. She has a good group of friends and is living with her older sister. She’s about to get involved in a bank robbery where she will have to con the robbers for the most important con of her life. Her two best friends are also with her in the bank so not only does she have to worry about herself she must also protect her two closest friends. Overall I really enjoyed this book; it was fast paced and it kept me on my toes as I was reading. I enjoyed Nora and her best friend Wes, along with her girlfriend Iris. The author did a really good job of fleshing them all out and I felt that I could envision them all next to me as I was reading. I also really enjoyed the interwoven chapters where we got to meet the other girls that Nora had been growing up with her mother, I wish we’d gotten more of that. There was also a bit of mixed media which was really enjoyable to read. For me there should have been more of those two things. I would tell the author that I wanted more of the mixed media and more of the flashbacks and less of the actual robbery in progress. The last 100 pages were not as interesting to me as the first 70% of the book but it was too strong to be three stars so that is how I determined my four star rating.