Genre: Fiction, thriller.
Ages: Young Adult (12 -18 years)
Pages: 356
It’s a book review kind of day today! I have had the absolute pleasure of finishing this book this week and I am very excited to write about it, without giving too much away, of course. I selected this book as I wanted to read some fantasy, gripping work and, to be quite honest, it’s author, Tess Sharpe did not disappoint.
Why this book?
I was never a bookworm, not until I was in my third year at university, round about 19 years of age which is when I discovered a genre that truly captivated me (seld-help books). Now, this book has nothing to do with selfhelp, but the fact that I found my genre really got me into reading, which is great! So back in 2015 I decided to make a note of every book I read (title, author and date I finished reading it). What I noticed from looking through this list is that, as it stands I have read double the amount of books written by men than by women so, from that moment on, I actively made a choice to seek out female authors, I am very glad I’ve done this!
Introduction and plot
From the onset, the vibrant red colours from the front colour already draw your attention to the book and the contrasting black and write show the outline of this mysterious person’s face. The title fits in perfectly as it only makes you question even further what girls it is referring to.
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe is a book in the Young Adult section, it has 69 chapters and 356 pages, which means that the chapters are quite short and, for me, this helps with the ease and pace of reading it.
It is a gripping story about a girl who despite suffering and going through great adversities as she was growing up, tackles every obstacle in her way to make a better life for herself. I think we can all connect with her in some way or other even if our own experience don’t match hers.
The first person writing really allows us, as readers, to feel our way through the story first hand and the flashback chapters give us a better understanding of what her life was once.
Praise and Critique
I loved reading this book, I looked forward to getting to see what would happen next and to discover all the layers that form the main character. I was particularly fascinated by the writing style which captivates you from the start, drawing you into the story and enticing you to keep turning those pages and discovering more.
The secondary characters presented add a lot of value to the story and to our main character.
Recommendations
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, gripping read. It is intense, captivating and a real page turner. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, not knowing what will happen next or how our main character is going to act in the situations she finds herself in.
It will leave you with a thirst for some, to find out how our characters end up and what crazy adventures and life experiences are awaiting for her.
Final words
Tess Sharpe has managed to captivate the essence of a truly remarkable individual in this book, one that struggles and is haunted by her past but who works to become the best version of herself. She tell the story in an exciting way that truly paints the picture in your mind.
On the back of the cover it says there is a ‘feature film in development with Millie Bobby Brown!’ and I am very much looking forward to watching it already, I really hope it lives up to how I have imagined it to be.
I am also looking forward to seeing what Tess Sharpe comes up with next. If it’s anything like this book, I have no doubt it will be a huge success.
Thank you so much for taking the time to come by and read my post. I hope you have enjoyed it.
What is your favourite genre? Do you think this is the kind of book for you?
The Think Good Factor 