When I initially seen this book and its cover I was extreamly intrigued! Girls With Sharp Sticks is like, The Handmaid’s Tale meets VOX in my opinion. I liked the premise of the story but found myself struggling to get into the story. Some areas of the story were shocking and a bit predictable., but overall it was a good story!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Suzanne Young's The Program series is one of my favorite YA series of all time. I was excited to read something new from her. Girls with Sharp Sticks was another imaginative story from her. This story was rage-inducing but in a really good way!

Girls with Sharp Sticks tells the story of Mena who attends The Girls of Innovation Academy, where young women are taught how to be beautiful and obedient. Readers soon find out that the girls at the boarding school are being prepared for life outside the academy to be handed to husbands/academy investors. The girls are supervised by a group of all-male staff. Initially, Mena's voice was very rigid. She didn't have much of a personality, but who could blame her given that she and her classmates were being brainwashed and groomed into being docile girls. That soon changes as Mena begins to notice is clearly off at her school. We see her kindness and supportiveness emerge alongside a strength as she discovers what really is going on. Suzanne Young did a brilliant job with all the intricacies of Mena's character. She made me easily root for Mena and her success.

As you can probably tell, the men in this book are trash-fire. They were the absolute worst. Believe me when I say that they will make your blood BOIL. I spent most of my time wanting the ability to jump into the book so I could throw them all into a lion's den. They truly were despicable with how much they manipulated and emotionally abused the young women. On the other hand, there were the girls who were amazing with their resilience and their closeness. Even though they may not have felt like it, they were intelligent and extraordinarily powerful. Their friendship made Girls with Sharp Sticks brought some positive energy into this book. Even through the moments when I feared the lives of these girls, I had faith that their friendship would get them through all difficult obstacles. That's how strong their relationship with each other was. There was a slight romantic thread with Mena and a boy she meets on the outside, but it was never at the forefront of this book, so I didn't particularly care for it. Suzanne Young is such a talented storyteller - she managed to keep me glued to the story even when I was not reading the book! And that ending in this book was just out of this world. I can't wait to see what Young crafts next.

This fiercely feminist and empowering story will appeal to readers looking for something unique and twisty. It's a tragic world that Young has written here, but one that doesn't stray too far from what our reality could become. Give Girls with Sharp Sticks a try.

I can't say as I loved this one. It has the standard dystopia/cult scenario: the main character is satisfied with her life until an encounter with an outsider knocks her off kilter, after which she begins to see the flaws in the system, ultimately leading to a successful rebellion. So the plot is basically laid out for us from page one. Some plot elements are not yet revealed but we can guess at the general thrust of the plot. That's especially true with this book, given the extremity of the school's views. We're not put in the protagonist's shoes realizing along with her that the system is flawed. We're chafing from the start, struggling to understand how girls could accept heir blatant and wholesale devaluation by the system. As I read, it felt more like confirmation of a hunch than any kind of revelation or discovery. There's no emotional ties, no gravitas.

I was uber excited to have received this book to review. I found it a really interesting concept and I totally LOVED it to bits! I totally recommend it if you're into a different sort of story.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I normally will not start a series if all the books aren’t published. However, from the description of this book I knew I was about to break my own rule. Have you ever read a book that made you feel like you hadn’t taken a breath the whole time you had been reading? That was me, until I read the last page and let out a long, exaggerated exhale. I was so completely engulfed, that all other responsibilities took a back seat until the last word.
Innovations Academy is an esteemed all girls school in the mountains of Colorado. An academy that is completely ran by men. Philomena and her fellow classmates are amongst a very select group of young women chosen to attend this sought after academy. The girls are honored to be a part of such a prestigious school. Unlike your typical high school, the girls studies are not focused around reading, writing and arithmetic. At Innovations Academy they study decorum, obedience and beauty. Under constant scrutiny by their male faculty and staff, each girl must follow the rules and never think for themselves. “You do not need opinions - we’ll tell you what’s good for you. Insubordination will not be tolerated.” But what happens if the girls decide to think for themselves? What happens if they choose to fight back?
Young blasted this start to her next series out of the park. She has concocted an amazing sci-fi thriller with girl power galore. “Girls with Sharp Sticks”, is a captivating tale chalked full of diverse and interesting characters. This book will have its readers hanging on every word unable to put it down. I will be anxiously awaiting Young’s next installment in what could possibly be the makings of an amazing series. Highly recommended.

Really trudged through this one. Struggled to finish but I did. It really sounds like Stepford Wives but for YA. Suzanne Young is a great writer but I really didn't find myself enjoying anything in this book. I guess I'm just not the right target audience for it. Pass.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the plot. Philomena Rhodes is a flawlessly beautiful young woman attending Innovations Academy, an all-girls prep school located in a renovated warehouse outside the city. The girls at Innovations Academy spend their days learning how to be polite, prudent, obedient, and amenable to the men who run the school. Girls who are defiant or curious are subjected to impulse control therapy. The girls must be very wary of impulse control therapy--though they don’t remember anything about it after it’s done, it’s a threat nonetheless. And boy is it heavily used; I searched “therapy” on my Kindle and counted 102 mentions. That’s a lot of impulse controlling.

Just like every other main character in an overextended YA novel, Mena is special. She has no defining characteristics that make her so, aside from her admirable love for her fellow classmates. Her peers are equally without spark--I could hardly tell Lennon Rose from Marcella from Mary Ann (was there a Mary Ann?), but perhaps that’s the point.

Anyway, Mena meet-cutes with a boy in a gas station on a field trip to a rose garden that’s used as a heavy handed metaphor. He’s cute, she’s dazzled by his averageness, maybe he’ll rescue her later. She begins to wonder why Innovations Academy never lets the girls meet any boys--only the weird older male investors who come to check up on the school from time to time.

Then Mena stumbles across a book of poetry about a bunch of repressed young women who fight back against the men who hold them hostage. Her feminist rage is igniting, she’s finally observing the strangeness going on around her. She’s like a college freshman in her first philosophy course--she begins to wonder, what if the colors I’m seeing are different from the colors YOU’RE seeing? What even IS red, man?

SPOILERS:

This is just Stepford Wives. Do you know anything about Stepford Wives? Then you know everything you need to know about this book, but for teens.

I lost steam with this one about 100 pages in. I finished it, by the grace of God herself and a whole lot of moxie. Needless to say, I found it predictable and derivative. I don’t hold that against Suzanne Young’s writing, because she’s a fluid storyteller who will ring true for a lot of young readers who want an awakening. I’m just not the target audience for this one.

Borrow it from your local library and hang tight with the ending--there’ll be a second one, because everything is a series.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Described as Westworld meets the Handmaid's Tale, I think its a bit more Westworld with some definitely muted adult themes (just implied) for the Young Adult audience. It was a bit dark though, but added to the tone of the book in a good way. The girls of the book are a group of wealthy young ladies who are carefully monitored-but not that carefully at the same time. The "twist" was not too surprising, but well-written. Some inconsistencies could be explained as simple human error, but it is interesting to see how the author took the plot. Overall, I did enjoy it and am looking forward to the sequel, as there were some loose ends that were left (in a good way).

Philomena is at an all girls private school.Guardian Bose is a stickler for the rules. He grabs the girls by the arm and twists when they misbehave. They take a field trip in the rain to see the gardens. Mena's mother is involved in lots of charaties and her father is a lawyer.Its told to them that appera ce matters at all times The girls are looking forward to graduation.I really liked Mena.

I freaking adored this book, and I am having trouble fully articulating why. Like okay, I love dystopian stuff. I extra love books where girls come together to overthrow the patriarchy. And I extra extra love when those books have incredible twists that leave my jaw on the floor. This book has all those things. And I am purposely going to keep this review short, because of the aforementioned articulation struggles, but also because I think you should just experience it for yourself. Here are a few more things to get you excited to read it:

•Creepy ass boarding school! Oh yes, this place is messed up! I know it, you'll know, it, everyone knows it, except for the girls who attend it and have been conditioned to think it's the best thing since sliced bread. Mena, the main character, even meets an outsider who asks the same questions I ask!

•Female friendships galore! Obviously since they're stuck at Creep College, they bond and they bond hard. I loved Mena, the main character, sure, but I absolutely loved them all.

•Can I mention the twists again? Because it took the whole book in a direction I did not see coming. I mean, you know something's up but... not these particular shenanigans!

•It reminds me a little of Louise O'Neill's Only Ever Yours except I didn't want to just end the world when I was done (so, a wee bit less hopeless hah). And you guys know how much I adore that book, so.

•There's a SEQUEL! Need, need, infinitely need.

Bottom Line: I legit couldn't put the thing down and in the end, that's all you need to know.

The author did a great job of creating such a mystery. Right from the start you get this sense that things aren't quite right. It just hooks you! It has this Stepford Wives feels. Which totally lights this fire in the feminist part of me. This isn't just your average run of the mill elite finishing school. These girls are taught how to be the perfect, well-behaved companion. When Mena starts to emote, or question things, the men have to make her complacent. I found the characters compelling, and I was interested in their outcomes.

“The little girls attended school

Where the rules had changed.

The girls were taught untruths,

Ignorance the only subject.


When math was pushed aside for myth

The little girls adapted.

They gathered sticks to count

learning their own math.


And then they sharpened their sticks.”
_______________________________________________

YES, YES, HELLLL YESSSSSSSSS!!!! This book was freaking AMAZING and has me feeling so empowered and pumped up- it was like a next generation mashup of The Stepford Wives, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Westworld. I need this to be a movie IMMEDIATELY!!! How long do we have to wait for book #2?? I don’t think I can stand it!!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for a free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review, all opinions are my own.

I’ve only read one book by Suzanne Young and it wasn’t my favorite, and I somehow completely missed the hype train for her successful The Program series. Coupled with the fact that I’m not a huge dystopian fan, I didn’t think much of Girls with Sharp Sticks when I first came across it on Goodreads. However, I started seeing more and more of my trusted blogger and reviewer friends post about how intensely good the story was and it peaked my interest. I found myself clicking the “request” button on NetGalley and was not disappointed- Girls with Sharp Sticks is a clever and compelling read that will simultaneously make you angry and horrified at the sexist and oppressive potential our world has to offer.

It’s hard to adequately review Girls with Sharp Sticks without spoilers, but the basic outline of the plot is that beautiful female students are sequestered away in a mountaintop boarding school where they learn how to be “perfect”- a twisted finishing school that has a very Stepford Wives vibe to it. Slowly but surely throughout the course of the novel, the girls begin to “wake up” and realize the disturbing foundations of their education and must decide how to deal with their situation. It’s powerful and feminist, and though it may *seem* exaggerated, what’s scariest about this story is that it’s not that far off from the truth- the girls may have exacerbated behaviors from their education, but their fears, stigmas, and societal responses are all ones that I bet many girls and women find themselves participating in, whether consciously or unconsciously (apologizing when it’s not necessary, trying to diffuse a situation with politeness and good manners for fear of a violent outburst from a man, etc.) It’s fascinating being inside the main character, Philomena’s, head because readers truly see how deeply rooted some of the power imbalances and societal stereotypes between men and women are, and how someone who is so intelligent can also be manipulated. I think this day in age many women have a place of privilege where they can say “I would never put up with that sort of sexist behavior” or “I would never tolerate that kind of abuse” because they are surrounded by strong, supportive communities, which is a wonderful thing! However, I think Girls with Sharp Sticks does an amazing job at showing that even the most seemingly privileged, beautiful, intelligent, etc. people can be manipulated, emotionally abused, oppressed and not seem it from the outside, and society is set up to have us look the other way or explain it away.

Girls with Sharp Sticks is unique in that I have found it hard to pin down into one genre. It’s set in the modern world which makes me lean toward “contemporary,” however there are definitely some science fiction elements with the technology, and thriller elements with the pacing and reveals. Yet one of the most uncomfortable elements about the story is how delicately it straddles the line between fiction and sci-fi: while some of the technology might be far-fetched, the ideals and beliefs that have let to the creation of Innovations Academy are certainly not. The story was a slow burn but in a necessary way, that slowly built up the foundation of the schools, its teachings, its methods, and they’ve cultivated a culture of fear masquerading as obedience. While a little slow to start, I’m so glad the author spent the time building the momentum of the story and taking readers along on Philomena’s journey to break through years of manipulation and, for lack of a better term, brainwashing.

Overview: A Handmaid’s Tale for a younger generation, Girls with Sharp Sticks is intricately plotted, cleverly written, and examines how society isn’t that far off from certain sexist, horrifying outcomes if we’re not active and vigilant against misogyny and oppression.

I wanted to love it, but it somehow managed to meander so much I couldn’t figure out what it was about, while also having the “big reveal” incredibly obvious from the beginning. The presence of the lesbian couple also felt weirdly tokenizing and made no sense in the context of a finishing school where all the girls are incredibly brainwashed and can’t wait to get married and be subservient to men... these girls were supposedly so brainwashed they felt guilty for things like wishing they could eat chicken instead of salad for dinner, to the point of accepting being backhanded, but they were cool with a covert lesbian couple?

Boarding school setting, men being trash, and girls loving and supporting other girls: if you didn't already guess, I was super here for this one as soon as I heard about it. Then, once I heard that it was being reckoned to the infamous The Handmaid's Tale, I knew there was just no way I could miss out on this book.

First of all, this book is terrifying. It takes place in a very near future—near enough that it feels like modern times—and has a slight dystopian element, but it's done so well that I felt like it completely subverted everything most YA readers have come to expect from the subgenre. Girls with Sharp Sticks felt like such a supremely original and unique storyline that I think it's going to be a tremendous breath of fresh air for a lot of readers.

The thing is, the awful part about this story is how plausible it feels, and how close it strikes to home in ways. The men in this book are horrible, disgusting, perverse, cruel, wicked monsters, and you should know ahead of time that you will spend so much of this book absolutely enraged by the men and by the circumstances they have created—but it's a good rage. A righteous rage, if you will.

On the other hand, when you aren't spitting acid over how awful the villains here are, you'll probably be spending the rest of your time doing what I did: falling irrevocably in love with these girls and their friendships with each other. They are all so wonderfully supportive and kind to one another, and they care so much. Mena is such a refreshing heroine because, despite her tenacity and ridiculous amounts of internal strength, she's also such a caring, worrisome, sweet soul and all she really wants in life is for herself and her loved ones to be free and safe.

Beyond what I've already said, there isn't much else I can say, because every time you think you've got Girls with Sharp Sticks figured out, there's another twist thrown in to complicate things further, and these twists were SO GOOD. I literally gasped out loud at one of them because I really never saw it coming, and that ending had me reeling! I am so glad this is the beginning of a series, because I definitely need more time with these characters and I can't wait to see what curveball Suzanne Young throws us next.

Content warnings for misogyny, rape culture, victim-shaming, assault (of every variety), murder, grieving, PTSD, ableism, body-shaming, talk of infertility, body horror

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Simon Pulse for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

My raiting: 3.25/5 stars.
I loved the start of the book becuase it was such a great story. For the begging it was a compeling story and you want to find out what is going on in that school. I loved all of the characters and the story telling was amazing. But the ending was very dissapointing because i thougt that was going to happen and because of what happend it didn't have such high stackes.

Girls with Sharp Sticks is a YA Fiction with a message that is most certainly, non-fiction.

You’re not leaving here without a few stab wounds to your heart and soul, so get those bandages ready.
Innovations Academy breeds obedient, beautiful girls. They are taught to set a table in Modern Manners, how to speak and act formally in Social Graces Etiquette, to keep their figures in Running Course, and to never accuse a man of inappropriate behavior in Modesty and Decorum – for that would be worse than any crime! As graduation nears for the girls at Innovations Academy, they are primped and put on display for their parents and sponsors in order to find the “perfect opportunity through success”. The girls need only listen to the men and Professors at the academy, for they have their best interests at heart, and they know best.

“Too much thinking is bad for your looks”.

But when the sudden departure of one of the girls becomes know to the students of Innovations Academy, Philomena and her closest friends can’t let it go. As they search for answers to why their dear friend left, Mena starts to notice strange things from the men she so easily trusts and respects. Strange glances, lingering hands, comments and commands laced with possessive entitlement. It isn’t until the girls band together that they finally open their eyes and see, that their lives may not be exactly what they think.

“They’ve trained you not to believe what you’re told by others. You have to come to it on your own. I can’t wake you, Philomena.”

“Wake up.”

Girls with Sharp Sticks is everything your feminist heart has been looking for in a YA series.

It guides you into a building of structure and poise with a gentle tug on your arm, sits you at a table of love and respect with the smiles of every girl you see…

…all the while shredding your heart and leaving you feeling dirty, violated and used.

If you start to feel nauseous while reading, it’s because you can relate to some part of this.

The first thing that needs to be mentioned about this book, is the girls of Innovations Academy. They are pure innocence, inner beauty and kindness. They possess an amount of compassion so big your heart will seize, and you will care for them so deeply that you’ll feel as if a part of YOU has been endangered or hurt.

Because these girls are all of us.

They are light and happiness, delicate and resilient. They are unfiltered contagious smiles, and the sisters you always needed.

These girls are everything.

Therefore, it pains me to express how horrible these wonderful girls are treated. They are belittled by their teachers, taken advantage of by their guardians, thrown around like ragdolls, and told that what is best for them is to stay quiet and obedient. They are trained to be the perfect girls. Intelligent, modest, pure, compliant, and above all, beautiful and always put together. They are put on display at Open Houses where the girls can mingle with their parents, investors or sponsors in the hopes that they will be “purchased” for their exceptional looks and demeanors after graduation. For these girls, being pleasant and following the rules is of the utmost importance. Their worst fear is disappointing their parents or the staff at Innovations Academy.

This story has been created so intricately and worded so perfectly throughout, that it makes it SO hard to express the magnificence of it without giving away key details. I am incredibly impressed with how flawlessly Suzanne Young has woven this story into one with countless twists and dangers. The writing is breathtaking. It gives Mena and the girls HUGE voices and personalities that make them impossible to forget. There is an intricate balance of purity and grit throughout the story. It makes you want to latch on to every good fleeting moment, and wish that you could take a pill to forget the horrors.

An author having the ability to make me feel so sick after reading a book, is…an amazing gift to possess.

It’s almost impossible for me to focus while typing this, because I feel as if I was right next to these girls as they learned what their purpose really is. Where their friend really went. And it’s…devastating. The author has pulled out the inner child deep inside me and has both comforted and hurt her. She’s cut a hole in my stomach and sealed it back up with dirt and scotch tape. I am ravaged. I am stripped raw and laid bare.

I wish I could say more, because I feel like I need someone…ANYONE…to pour my heart out to about the tragic beauty that this book is. The story kept me hooked and addicted the entire time, pushing me to find the answers and to know what was happening at this elusive academy. The teachers were terrifying and sadistic, the investors even worse. But even though there was an overwhelming theme of possessive males forcibly overpowering what they thought was THEIRS, there is a bigger theme of strength and resilience. The message to RISE UP and fight for yourself and others is such an incredibly profound message that NEEDS to be screamed. I can’t thank Suzanne Young enough for that.

With that said, I really cannot say anything more. I know this is vague by way of plot, but you would hate it if I told you more than this. All I can say, is YOU MUST READ THIS. It is The Handmaid’s Tale for the young adult and for every female who has felt frightened or overpowered. Your heart will thank you later for giving it this. I promise.

Since coming across The Program in 2013 I have been a fan of Suzanne Young and her books. There is something about the way she tells a story that sucked me in from the get go. I swear every time I need a new book by her I don’t think she can write any better than she has and yet she constantly proves me wrong. But I can confidentially tell you that Girls with Sharp Sticks is 100% her most brilliant masterpiece yet. When I tell you that I loved this book, I mean it more than I can accurately explain. It is just such a memorable reading experience you truly won’t be able to find the words to describe your feelings.

Girls with Sharp Sticks is about Mena, a girl that goes to a school where she is taught how to be the ‘perfect woman’. The girls are told how to dress, how to act, and how to behave in order to please the men in their lives. They are conditioned to behave and be ‘proper’ and to obey. But when strange things start happening Mena starts noticing how unusual the school is and how sheltered the girls actually are. With the help of a new friend from outside the school walls, Mena opens her eyes and sees what’s really going on at Innovations Academy and she isn’t going to let it continue. When all the girls ban together the men of Innovations learn what the tag line says: Some of the prettiest flowers have the sharpest thorns.

This book was hardcore! And epic! And amazing! And fantastic! And any other adjective you can think of to describe such an unexpectedly powerful book. I was completely creeped out and disgusted reading it. These men were so vile and gross and 100% taking advantage of these girls to suit their needs. I swear I wanted to punch them all in the face so many times. But these girls, Mena, Sydney, Annaliese, Marcella, Brynn and Valentine (not a name a few), were actually what these men feared. These women together held all the power. They were the ones that were able to stand up for themselves and say ‘no, enough is enough’, and I loved every minute of it.

I want to say so much about this story. I want to tell you every detail and small thing I loved. But I refuse to ruin this experience. I strongly feel this is a book that everyone should read and will love. It is so unexpected and brilliantly done. I really can’t say any more than that. If you have trusted my book judgement in the past then trust it now. I swear it is worth it!

Now bring on Girls with Razor Hearts!

I am in the minority, so take my review with a grain of salt.

I began Girl with Sharp Sticks after a book that I died for. And beginning this book most likely altered how I feel about it.

I didn't connect to Philomena, the plot, or the setting. It took me a while to begin the story, and I had to restart two times. I couldn't focus on the beginning, and I read pretty far.

The biggest problem I had was the topics that were discussed within the story. I can handle certain things, but abuse is hard for me to take. And because this story mentions in, along with sexism, I think that is the main problem of why I couldn't connect. The ending was compelling, regardless if there's a cliffhanger.

As I said before, I am in the minority. The premise is wonderful, filled with classic Suzanne Young magic. Give Girls with Sharp Sticks a try, because you will have a different opinion than I will.

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Girls with Sharp Sticks is the first installment in author Suzanne Young's new series by the same name. Philomena (Mena) attends a school called Innovations Academy. It is an all-girls school where students attend for 8 months before being eligible for graduation. The rules are very strict and all the authority figures are men. They are taught to be obedient and demure, as well as specifically attuned to maintaining their beauty.

The girls know they're being groomed for life beyond the academy, where they'll be given to a husband or "investor" to do what they may. Mena has a group of friends, (Marcella, Brynn, Sydney and Annalise), who basically stick with her front the first page until the final chapter. When something strange happens to one of her school mates, Mena starts to unravel the mystery behind the school and what is really happening and why there only men teaching at this school. The school has dark secrets and Mena and her friends are determined to discover them, and in turn, who they really are.

Speaking of friendships, friendship between these girls was well done. At no point was there any cattiness or competition. These girls supported each other through thick and thin. It is fair to say that I caught onto the so called surprise early on in this story. So when Mena, a boy named Jackson, and her friends discover the truth, I was more than ready to figure out what happens next.

If you are going to compare this story to Handmaids Tale and Westworld, you could also add Dollhouse to make this an even more accurate betrayal of what is happening in this school. Mena's message to readers is pretty simplistic: girls need the courage to fight back and stand up for themselves and as long as they have friends to stand with them, anything can happen. It is also a message that the patriarchy is bad and men are somehow intentionally taking away women's rights by creating what they feel is what women should act like.