Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end: THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN.

The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN is the nineteenth book in my author challenge.

Nora grew up the daughter of a con-artist. Her mom used her as an accomplice to pull off her many cons. But when her mom fell for her latest mark and married him, Nora used her only escape hatch, her half-sister, and fled her poisonous old life. She's spent five years living with her sister and leading a "normal" life. This includes a former boyfriend and now best friend, Wes, and her new girlfriend, Iris. Both Wes and Iris are with Nora one morning at the bank, depositing money they've raised together for charity. But everything goes horribly wrong in an instant when someone pulls a gun, and they realize they're in the middle of a robbery.

"And the third thing I think is We're all gonna die because I waited for bacon donuts."

This was a fast read, divided into four parts, mostly all taking place during the robbery. It's very compelling. The story is told in Nora's voice, as she details the bank robbery and then reflects upon her past and the girls she's "been"--aka the girls she was forced to be during each con her mom forced upon her. We learn about how Nora became who she is and realize her past is complicated and often tragic. How will Nora's past affect this robbery?

This book is exciting in that it depicts a high pressure bank robbery, but is also complex, delving back into Nora's dark past. Please note that it covers topics such as sexual assault, rape, and abuse. It also looks at friendship, though, and Nora's relationships with Wes and Iris are really excellent and wonderfully portrayed. It's nice to see a teen book so respectfully portray bisexuality. I love the idea of found family and it's a strong central theme here.

This book can be brutal, but it's also touching and insightful. I really enjoyed learning more about Nora's past (although it could be sad). This story is twisty and compelling. 4+ stars.

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