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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
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.
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The pacing was great and it was hard to put down. The friendships were authentic and the author weaves the story together so well.
nora o'malley is not your average 17 year old. she has survived years of trauma and abuse as a con artist against her criminal mother who swindled men for a living. but her sister got her out of that life and just when she's starting to live an almost normal life, she gets stuck in a bank robbery gone wrong. with her current girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend. and we all know, old habits die hard...
this book is the definition of "be gay, do crime". the blurb itself had me in a chokehold. the concept is very unique and interesting. in a non-linear manner, the narrative flashes back and forth between nora's current hostage situation in the bank and her past as she weaves through the girls she's been.
the author builds suspense deliciously and paired with the irreverent way it's been written, i'm sure if you open up an oxford dictionary to the word "unputdownable", you'd find this title right next to it.
the author deftly tackles subjects like abuse, both physical and mental, the struggles and victories of teenage friendships and trauma. even topics like endometriosis are addressed and as a woman with similar issues, i was very impressed. we need more menstruation representation in media! more so in ya.
it's a pretty quick read compared to the voluminous tomes i've been consuming of late. with the upcoming netflix adaptation starring millie bobby brown, i have no doubt this book is going to blow up, as it rightly should.
clever and eviscerating, fans of one of us is lying and how to kill your family should definitely check this one out.
rating — 8.5/10
this book is the definition of "be gay, do crime". the blurb itself had me in a chokehold. the concept is very unique and interesting. in a non-linear manner, the narrative flashes back and forth between nora's current hostage situation in the bank and her past as she weaves through the girls she's been.
the author builds suspense deliciously and paired with the irreverent way it's been written, i'm sure if you open up an oxford dictionary to the word "unputdownable", you'd find this title right next to it.
the author deftly tackles subjects like abuse, both physical and mental, the struggles and victories of teenage friendships and trauma. even topics like endometriosis are addressed and as a woman with similar issues, i was very impressed. we need more menstruation representation in media! more so in ya.
it's a pretty quick read compared to the voluminous tomes i've been consuming of late. with the upcoming netflix adaptation starring millie bobby brown, i have no doubt this book is going to blow up, as it rightly should.
clever and eviscerating, fans of one of us is lying and how to kill your family should definitely check this one out.
rating — 8.5/10
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes