Synopses & Reviews
Now in paperback and soon to be a Netflix film starring Millie Bobbie
Brown! In this feminist, suspenseful thriller the daughter of a con
artist is taken hostage in a bank heist — and will need to tap into all
her skills in order to survive.
A FORBES, BUZZFEED, BOOK RIOT AND KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
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 her 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 the 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 . . .
Review
"If you're looking for a queer YA contemporary book with complex
characters, loads of action to keep you reading WAY past your bedtime —
and a story so well written I might have shed a tear over it — you
need to read
The Girls I've Been by Tess Sharpe. It will keep you captivated until the last page." Culturess
Review
"A non-stop thrill ride... This book is so INTENSE. It jumps back and
forth from the robbery in progress to Nora's earlier life with her
mother, a con woman married to a dangerous man. It's so well done,
extremely cinematic." Book Riot
Review
"Sharpe (
Barbed Wire Heart) focuses as much on [Nora's] trauma — and the
systems of power that enable and excuse abuse — as on mystery and
heart-pounding action . . . the small, complex cast of characters and
emotional core make this a poignant thriller." Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Born in a mountain cabin to a punk-rocker mother, Tess Sharpe grew up in
rural California. She lives deep in the backwoods with a pack of dogs
and a growing colony of formerly feral cats. She is an author and
anthology editor, and has written several award-winning and critically
acclaimed books for children, teens and adults.