A slick, twisty YA page-turner about the daughter of a con artist who is taken hostage in a bank heist.
Nora O’Malley’s been a lot of girls. As the daughter of a con-artist who targets criminal men, she grew up as her mother’s protégé. But when mom fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape. For five years Nora’s been playing at normal. But she needs to dust off the skills she ditched because she has three problems: #1: Her ex walked in on her with her girlfriend. Even though they’re all friends, Wes didn’t know about her and Iris. #2: The morning after Wes finds them kissing, they all have to meet to deposit the fundraiser money they raised at the bank. It’s a nightmare that goes from awkward to deadly, because: #3: Right after they enter bank, two guys start robbing it. The bank robbers may be trouble, but Nora’s something else entirely. They have no idea who they’re really holding hostage… This is one of the most interesting and original thrillers I've read in a while! It takes place over the course of a bank heist, and centers on Nora O'Malley (I loved her immediately). I checked The Girls I've Been out from the library with middling expectations and I've just been blown away by everything about it. I'd hesitate to call Nora an unreliable narrator, since she's interested in telling the truth and unraveling past lies she's told her friends. The triple timelines make for an interesting read (and lengthen the book) as we see Nora's past lives, her arrival to Lee, and the bank heist simultaneously. This could be a lot to handle for a reader, but Sharpe uses short chapters to the best effect and I ended up enjoying her narration. The con-woman angle was fresh. Nora's mother committed and permitted all kinds of abuse, which was horrifying to read about in the chapters where Nora explains some of the girls she's been. Sharpe includes a positive portrayal of talk therapy and mental health treatment, which I always take time to appreciate in a book. What was more interesting to me was the "lessons" she gained from those girls, and the creative action-packed sequences she leads. I couldn't put the book down once I'd started. This is both because it reads so fluidly I kept wanting to find out what's next, and also because the formatting led the 336 pages to fly by. In terms of writing style and voice, I waffled between "into the drama" and "over it." A lot of Nora's narration was overblown, but as I became more invested in her backstory I began to understand why. Her struggles with identity and feeling comfortable in her new life were a central theme in the book and definitely merited some of the more overdramatic lines. What really made the book for me was the chapter sequencing and the sharp turns of the story. Also just have to give a shoutout to Nora being bi--we have been BLESSED with this character. I love a good morally grey queer story and Tess Sharpe absolutely delivered. Her girlfriend Iris is the sweetest (with the best fashion sense) and her ex Wes deserves a whole book of his own. Their group dynamic is funny and heartfelt, an excellent counter to the high-octane violence of the heist. 5/5 stars for this dark, twisty story. I'm very intrigued and will definitely be buying a copy for myself soon.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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