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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Violence, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Gore, Grief, Vomit, Bullying, Blood, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexism
Moderate: Abortion
kate_mare's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Abortion, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
krhe's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Trata varios temas complicados, y sí bien algunos fueron un poco yikes, uno de los temas más jodidos se trató desde el respeto y la suficiente distancia como para no volverse catalizador traumático. Que teniendo en cuenta el historial, está bien no ser gráficos.
Tiene un ritmo como raruno, y algo me olía sobre cómo iba a desarrollarse el argumento desde bastante pronto. Y acerté con el último twist de los capítulos finales.
El final me ha dejado un poco ñeh tho.
Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Abortion, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Pedophilia, and Rape
lucytoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Gun violence
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, and Panic attacks/disorders
_rae6021's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
galexy_brain's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Pedophilia
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Biphobia, Death, Drug use, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Vomit
oblivisal's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
TW: Mental illness, murder, abuse, sexual abuse + assault
etc.
I heard good things about this from boston reads over on youtube. Granted they hadn’t finished the book yet but had definitely sold me on it.
Nora; Rebecca, Samantha, Katie, Haley and Ashley.
Nora has had the life that anyone would love to read, to learn and to gossip about, but would never want to live for themselves. Her entire life was five different roller coasters that didn’t come down until the sixth mile mark.
Nora is gay (bisexual), strong, and furious but she is most importantly, herself. Throughout the entire book Nora struggles with who she is, what her identity is and if she’ll ever find who she is destined to be.
Although there are many other things to mention about this book like her mother, Abby, her stepdad Raymond, her girlfriend Iris, her sister Lee and her-ex boyfriend turned best friend Wes, it doesn’t truly need to be mentioned. Why? Because this is a book about a girl that did not have a normal life, a childhood or even an identity. It is about abuse (i.e. physical, mental + sexual abuse) mental illness, conning, murder, mystery and everything that can come with the life of being a con-artist. Of being raises by one and as one.
!!TW!!: I definitely recommend this book but just be wary of all the trigger warnings. Make sure to do your research beforehand. There is no on page sexual abuse, assault or molestation but it can still be triggering.
Is this really just a three in a half star read? I haven’t written a review like this in awhile so that’s gotta say something about the book.
Moderate: Abortion, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Cursing, Child death, Child abuse, and Blood
plumpaperbacks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Nora was a complex yet realistic and relatable protagonist. I loved her, Iris, and Wesley. Their friendship was amazing, as was Nora and Iris’ romance. Also, major props to Iris for being so resilient and clever while on her period, because I could never. These two are the most badass girls I’ve seen outside of a fantasy book, hands down. The fact that they’re dating makes it even better. *chefs kiss*
The story features two timelines: one in present day where the three teens end up hostages in an armed bank robbery, and one exploring Nora’s past as she grew up frequently moving and helping her mother with various cons. The former takes place over about twelve hours, with a few chapters at the end of the book detailing what occurred in the following weeks. Both were intriguing, and they were managed well, balanced perfectly. Neither one ever seemed to overpower the other.
I don’t read many thrillers, but Sharpe’s are among the best I’ve read and this one is undoubtedly my favorite. I’ll definitely be reading more from her in the future, and trying other authors as well. My interest in the genre has certainly been renewed.
Representation:
- bisexual protagonist
- sapphic love interest with endometriosis
- sapphic romance (f/f)
Graphic: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Chronic illness, Misogyny, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Abortion and Car accident
outcrye's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
That arc set up a satisfyingly badass final scene with
The thing I love most about this book is how Nora, the main character, lived so many lives with the intent to fool but still managed to make real, meaningful relationships in the present. None of those connections are perfect, because Nora sure isn't, but throughout the book, I could see how the past shaped her and how her current relationships developed as she did in order to process it.
In my opinion, The Girls I've Been is primarily a story about trauma, recovering from abuse, and letting go of the toxic habits one would get from having experienced said abuse. To see this victim love and be loved in whole, healthy ways despite all that baggage is interesting as well as heartening.
The only specific criticism I have is about Nora's relationship with Wes, her best friend. All of her other relationships felt very fleshed out and real to me, despite her past and present being so vastly different from mine, and probably most readers'. I would include Wes in this too, but to a lesser degree when compared to the other characters.
All throughout, we are told that Wes and Nora love each other deeply (explicitly platonic, despite Wes also being an ex-boyfriend) and this love is rooted in their shared childhood trauma. I don't doubt the existence of this love. But what I can't understand is why they connected in the first place, what caused that initial draw—how was young, reclusive Nora, fresh out of an abusive situation, able to open up to this stranger, thus beginning their lifelong friendship?
In contrast with her other connections (her sister, her mom, her girlfriend), we don't see how they meet nor do we have key scenes in their relationship that wasn't
In my opinion, the story placed Wes on the same level as the other key figures in her life but held back for whatever reason... perhaps because, again, there were so many things grappling for the reader's attention.
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug use, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Cursing, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault