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A review by yvonne_aaf
The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Like 'Pet' by Akwaeke Emezi, I am so grateful to the universe for pulling whatever strings had to be pulled into alignment, to allow me to be in the position where this book landed in my lap. I think most people have a favourite book that shakes them to their core, and this is mine! The Girls I've Been has definitely made it into my favourite books of all time!
Initially, I planned to listen to the audiobook whilst I got on with my day, but by chapter 15 I was swaddled in bed, for 3 hours, doing nothing but listening to Tess Sharpe spin the most beautiful, heartwrenching story.
It took me a while to fully sink into the story, I think I often have a bias against YA novels for some reason, but once I was in it, I was in it. The characters are so well developed - Lianne is maybe my favourite character of all time - it's difficult for me to imagine that Iris, Wes, Nora and Lianne don't actually exist out there in some town, learning their way through life. The sapphic romance was the cherry on top, woven into the story in such a gorgeous way.
So many intense topics are discussed in this book, and a lot of them really hit me hard in the chest in a way I wasn't expecting - one of those moments where the universe won't let you run away from your own issues anymore. They were discussed so thoughtfully, and carefully but were also dissected in such a frank way. There's no shying away from the trauma in the novel, which I think is an important warning for anyone going into it with childhood issues, esp past abuse!
Everything you would need in a tense high-stakes thriller was here - perfectly crafted villains, nuanced characters, twists & turns - a true 5/5 book for me!
Initially, I planned to listen to the audiobook whilst I got on with my day, but by chapter 15 I was swaddled in bed, for 3 hours, doing nothing but listening to Tess Sharpe spin the most beautiful, heartwrenching story.
It took me a while to fully sink into the story, I think I often have a bias against YA novels for some reason, but once I was in it, I was in it. The characters are so well developed - Lianne is maybe my favourite character of all time - it's difficult for me to imagine that Iris, Wes, Nora and Lianne don't actually exist out there in some town, learning their way through life. The sapphic romance was the cherry on top, woven into the story in such a gorgeous way.
So many intense topics are discussed in this book, and a lot of them really hit me hard in the chest in a way I wasn't expecting - one of those moments where the universe won't let you run away from your own issues anymore. They were discussed so thoughtfully, and carefully but were also dissected in such a frank way. There's no shying away from the trauma in the novel, which I think is an important warning for anyone going into it with childhood issues, esp past abuse!
Everything you would need in a tense high-stakes thriller was here - perfectly crafted villains, nuanced characters, twists & turns - a true 5/5 book for me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, and Sexual assault