This was a surprisingly timely read. I read this in 2021 after Texas passed the newest, most restricting laws regarding abortion. The story broke my heart. Abortion is a sensitive topic, but this story shows that people who want or need abortions aren't evil, they are just trying to live their lives the best way they know how. I definitely recommend this for a timely, political read.

The first thing readers will notice is the clear, strong, bold, brave voice of Camille. Camille is pregnant and has enlisted the help of her friends to terminate her pregnancy. Camille is not able to tell her family and the baby’s father about the pregnancy and after a failed visit to a “crisis clinic” in her home state of Texas, Camille realizes she needs to enlist some help. Camille begins her journey with Annabelle, the new friend with a strong feminist outlook and Bea, the life-long friend, who is more conservative and sheltered. To be clear, the author does have an agenda. In the Author’s Note, Waller states that she wants to “sound the alarm” on legislation that regulates women’s bodies and talks about how shame is used as a weapon against women and she does just that. This book is filled with information about women’s reproductive rights and the girls discuss the options in an informative, thoughtful manner, without any element of preachiness. However, this book is also a satisfying road trip story about friendship. Each girl has a secret and as the miles pass their truths are revealed. This book will satisfy readers with its story and it will inform readers on reproductive rights and options in the United States. It is an important addition to any YA collection serving grades 10 and up.

Girls on the Verge by Shannon Biggs Waller is a coming of age story about a young girl and her journey to get an abortion on a road trip with her two best friends.

I really enjoyed this book and the topics it covers. It covers a character who is abstinence and two who have sex. It talks about how some girls just want to lose their virginity. I love that the overwhelming theme is girls supporting girls even when their beliefs don't match up and looking past it to support one another. This was a fun story to read even though it tackles heavy topics. It shows us what women and girls go through to get an abortion. It made me feel a lot of things, and wish that us as women go through. I really enjoyed that when Bea didn't understand something or anyone else didn't she would say "I'll Google it!" or even if they were curious. Even when they just needed to research some things too. The exchanges between the three girls Camillie, Annabelle, and Bea felt so real, made me feel like I wasn't reading a work of fiction. I read this as an ebook but I want to get myself a physical copy.

A great book for broaching the topic of a woman's right to choose. I definitely would add it to the collection on this very important topic.

Girls on the Verge is so timely right now, especially with what could be considered a war on women's reproductive rights. Camille is having an amazing summer, until she finds out she is pregnant. She makes a decision and embarks on a journey with her best friend Bea and Annabelle who she only really knows from the play she is in. Their adventure shows exactly why it is a woman's right to choose what she does with her body, and is so prevalent in the unacceptable climate women are facing right now.

GIRLS ON THE VERGE by Sharon Biggs Waller is a young adult novel, realistic fiction set in Texas in 2014. The main character is Camille, a high school student who has had one sexual partner and discovers that she is pregnant. Feeling unable to share the situation with her parents, Camille turns to two friends, Bea and Annabelle, whose differing attitudes fuel some of the story's tension. Bea comes from a very religious family and struggles to accept Camille's choice while also wanting to be a supportive friend. Annabelle is a Planned Parenthood volunteer and holds strong opinions. Together, the three drive to Mexico for pills that could induce a miscarriage – this happens after Camille tries to schedule a procedure in Texas without her parent's consent. Interspersed with their road trip adventures are flashbacks about some of the other experiences (buying a pregnancy test, clinic exam and counseling, seeking a court ruling) that Camille endures.

Waller is excellent at conveying the range of emotions that Camille feels and the judgmental attitudes she faces. Her friends recognize some of this and express their frustrations as when Annabelle says, "There's no way to win. You're a monster if you get an abortion, a slut if you had sex, a moron if you decide to keep the baby ... so lonely." Bea reflects, "my pastor says you can't forget bad stuff, but you learn to carry it. I imagine it's like a backpack; you stick all the junk in there and go on. Heavy things make you stronger." An award winning author, Waller explains, "I chose to write Camille's story to sound an alarm, to show young women what they have to lose, how their bodies are being regulated, and how their rights to decide when and if to have a child are being slowly taken away."

At the time when GIRLS ON THE VERGE is set, only nineteen abortion clinics remained open in Texas – a state that covers 269,000 miles and has more than five million women of reproductive age. The author introduces those facts before she begins Camille's story and in a later author's note she provides the sobering information that "one in four women in the United States will seek an abortion by age 45." For an updated (and visual) analysis of access to abortion, see the May 2019 New York Times article by Lai and Patel. Waller advocates that "to break the stigma of abortion, we have to bring it out into the light" and she is clearly trying to do that with this new novel. GIRLS ON THE VERGE received starred reviews from Booklist ("absolutely essential") and from School Library Journal ("a first purchase").
4.5 stars
Link in live post:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/31/us/abortion-clinics-map.html

With all the talk in the news and in courts across the US this is a book for out time. This was one of the best stories that I have read from Waller yet and I can not wait for her next book. The reader will find a wonderful real story about teen pregnancy and a girl just trying to find her place in the world. This book is very pro choice and reflects the a woman's right to make her own choices with what to do with their bodies. The pacing was wonderful and the story so real.

I'm so happy with this book. The writing is excellent and despite the heavy subject matter, it never feels bogged down. There's a forward momentum even when we're learning about the past. I cried a lot during this read. So much of it needs to be said.

Girls on the Verge follows two friends as they travel with their friend Camille to get an abortion. They are from Texas and this novel shows how the system works against them and all the hurdles she (and other women) have to face to make a decision that is right for them.
This book is so timely and important right now. No matter what side of the abortion debate you are on, I think this is an important story to tell. I'm so thankful I was able to read this story.

Realistic characters with true-sounding friendships, hopes & dream. While the story has suspense, at times it feels like the author ran down a checklist of obstacles for her characters.

Girls on the Verge features incredible representation of girls supporting each other through thick and thin. This book is about the lengths we’ll go and the miles we’ll travel for our best friends. It’s one of the best representations of friendship in YA. This book shows how your best friends, both old and new, can be brave for you when you can’t be brave for yourself.

Camille is pregnant and desperate for an abortion that will give her back her bodily autonomy and future. A broken condom completely changes her life and she questions why she has to give up everything for an accident. She has big dreams and a whole future ahead of her. Her new friend Annabelle has been a clinic escort and strongly believes in someone’s right to choose. She recognizes a person in crisis and vows to do anything she can to help Camille. Annabelle is outraged at all the obstacles and barriers that Camille has to face. Bea, Camille’s oldest friend, is religious and questioning how she can allow her best friend to make a decision she doesn’t agree with. This book

Not only is this about a realistic group of friends, but it’s also about a very timely topic–abortion and the right to choose. It’s about the red tape, fear, and crushing sense of dread that teens deal with when trying to get an abortion. The author writes a realistic portrayal of obtaining an abortion and does not shy away from the truth. Feminist teens and those curious about what actually happens during an abortion will appreciate the author’s sincere writing. The author also includes detailed information about consent, condom usage, and other sex education topics. The three friends have very honest discussions about sex. Camille was also tricked into going into a crisis pregnancy center and given false information. The friends discuss how it’s so hard to determine what is legitimate help and what isn’t. Bea tries so hard to learn from her friends and wrestles with what she’s been taught from her religion about the topics.

This book deals with heavy topics but it’s also features the girls dreaming about their futures. They are all amateur actresses with big dreams in theater. They have witty dialogue and funny scenes. All three friends even band together to raise money by performing a quick scene in public. I loved seeing their friendship grow throughout the book.

Readers of Moxie, Piecing Me Together, Ask Me How I Got Here, and You Don’t Know Me But I Know You will enjoy this novel.

While timely and important, this book is heavy handed. There is nothing nuanced, and while I do not believe there needs to be nuance around abortion, I don't believe people, especially teenagers, want to be preached to. I think there needs to be more books like this, where a girl understands what she wants and doesn't have a full blown moral dilemma, but there has to be a way to write it better.

I look like I've been through a battle and lived to talk about it.

Out of all of the important sociopolitical topics covered in YA over the last few years, one thing I have constantly wished to see more portrayals of in literature is pro-choice discussions about women doing what needs to be done to retain control of their own bodies. In the last few months, there has been so much going on here in the US regarding reproductive rights that Girls on the Verge is exactly what we needed to see burst onto the scene, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Girls on the Verge has so many fantastic points fit into this powerful little story, such as:

• The discussion revolving around the fact that birth control isn't flawless and the "just use protection!" argument isn't always enough

• The overarching theme of girls supporting girls and learning how to look past their own biases to take care of each other (because supporting a woman's right to choose doesn't have to mean you'd make the same choice yourself)

• The delightfully well-crafted references to current political goings-on (I died a little of joy every time Wendy Davis was mentioned!)

On top of all of that, though, it's just such a fun story to read. Sure, it tackles very heavy and tough topics, and it definitely made me emotional a few times (mostly just enraged by the ridiculous state of our society right now), but I also laughed so hard at so many of the exchanges between Camille, Bea, and Annabelle. These girls are hilarious and feel so real and genuine; even in little ways, they just feel human, like the way one of them always piped up with "I'll Google it!" when they were curious about the tiniest little thing — that's a very 'me' thing and I loved it. Their friendships are so delightful and lovable and I honestly, truly cherished every single page of Girls on the Verge and hope that it gets the attention it deserves. ♥

P.S. Can I just say this would make an AMAZING teen film adaptation? Get on it, Netflix!

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

When seventeen year old theater student Camille becomes pregnant after having sex for the first time, she chooses to have an abortion, but quickly learns that making this choice and actually exercising it are two completely different things. Living in the conservative state of Texas, Camille finds that obtaining a legal abortion is easier said than done. Finally out of options, Camille and two of her friends head out on a road trip to the Texas-Mexico border in search of the abortion pill. Along the way, they learn more about their friendship, and much about themselves.

YA author Sharon Biggs Waller chose to write her realistic fiction novel Girls on the Verge after hiding her own abortion experience from others for most of her life. Through her novel, Waller wanted to raise awareness among young women about how tenuous and fragile their right to choose really is, and to show that too often, it is really not a choice at all.

Waller’s novel is both interesting and informative, although it does hinge on the “preachy and deliberate” at times. Camille’s friend Annabelle was a Planned Parenthood volunteer and is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to abortion. For any given situation, she has the right words and facts, and is a mature young woman of action. It comes across as a bit fictionalized and ideal, as few girls would likely fit Annabelle’s profile, but she serves her role well in this book - to inspire and inform.

In her search for an abortion, Camille probably stumbles across every scenario of how things could go wrong, but again, the purpose of this book is to inform in an entertaining way. Girls on the Verge covers many of the obstacles a teenage girl may face when seeking an abortion, and shows how a young girl may realistically react in said situations.

Camille’s best friend Bea, who accompanies her on the road trip, provides the pro-life POV of this story. Bea opposes her friend’s abortion, and while she morally can’t agree to it, tries as best as she can to be supportive. The development of these two girls’ relationship is a minor side plot of this story.

In all, Girls on the Verge will appeal to young adult readers who wish to learn more about abortion. This book is not for everyone - readers who are sensitive to the subject of abortion, may choose to pass on this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is such an important book and one I wish were around when I was younger. I am so glad it exists. At times it left me sobbing and others just wanting to smash shit. I could relate to a lot of the emotions the main character goes through on her journey. For me, this book was relatable. For others, it can be eye-opening and educating.

I knew based on my response to the very beginning of this book that I was in for a read. Impacting, necessary and down-right eye-opening at times.

I loved this book and it broke my heart and infuriated me. 

Camille is pregnant and she doesn't want to be. She's seventeen and can't have a baby. And even if she could, she doesn't want to. She doesn't want her entire life ruined because of a condom error. So, abortion it is.

Except Camille lives in Texas, where they don't really let you do that without jumping through a million hoops. So it will require a major road trip and, as it happens, two friends. Annabelle is a new friend and someone Camille really respects; Bea is her best friend, though it's very complicated right now.

I loved seeing Camille and Bea work on fixing their friendship and I loved Annabelle get to know them. I love all three of them so much, and books about friendship make me really happy.
But Texas doesn't come across well in this story. It wasn't ever going to be likely that I'd live there but now I definitely wouldn't want to. It's gross the things that Camille had to go through and "crisis centers" are really the worst things and staffed by the worst people. 

This is a hard book to read, but so worth it. We need to be diligent to make sure this doesn't become a reality nationwide.

Highly recommended.

Three and a half stars: A powerful and informative read that takes on the tough and troubling topic of abortion.

Camille’s vision of a perfect summer is gone when she discovers she is pregnant. She didn’t realize you could get pregnant your first time, even while using a condom. Camille is desperate, she isn’t sure what to do. At seventeen, she has her whole life ahead of her, but one night of indiscretion could ruin it all. She turns to her best friend, but Bea does not support Camille’s decision. In desperation, Camille decides to go on a road trip with a girl she hardly knows. Annabelle is at least supportive and agrees to take Camille wherever she needs to go. What follows is a road trip that exposes the tough choices a woman must make.
What I Liked:
*Abortion is one of those topics that people avoid as it is such a polarizing subject. Whether you are pro choice or pro life, this is a book you should check out so you can learn more about the laws and how they are affecting woman. It isn’t easy, and you may not agree with Camille’s choices, but this is an informative and educational book that you should read so you can be informed.
*I wavered back and forth throughout about how I felt about Camille and her choice. However, the book isn’t so much about Camille’s choices as it is about the rights of women and how rights are being stripped away from us. It was disheartening to read about the shaming that Camille went through numerous times as men in power tried to make her feel like dirt for her mistake. Even though abortion is legal in this country, state laws make it extremely difficult in some states, which leads to women and girls making desperate choices that could cause irreparable harm or even death. The author does a tremendous job showing how the choice is taken away and a girl is left feeling like garbage. It is disheartening.
*One of the highlights of the story was the way that Bea, Camille and Annabelle bond on the road trip. It ultimately becomes a story of friendship and coming of age. I enjoyed seeing the girls support each other and form lasting friendships.
*The end was open, but it gave me hope for Camille.
*I would highly recommend reading the author’s note at the end. She tells her own personal story about abortion as well as the hard statistics about abortion. I learned a great deal from the author’s note.
And The Not So Much:
*The book is short, it comes in under three hundred pages, which doesn’t allow much time for character development. I found myself wanting more depth and detail with the characters and the story. I especially wanted a far better understanding of Camille’s mother. It was never fully explained why Camille struggled with her relationship with her parents.
*The story jumps back and forth in time, which I found distracting. The story did not flow and it was hard to piece things together.
*I was bothered that some things were left out due to the constant jumping around in time. I didn’t like that Camille is suddenly facing a judge in court to try and get an abortion, it was never explained how she met Nicole, the woman who helped her in court, or how she got to court to begin with. So many details were left out. I wish the author had included more of the process Camille went through. *I think the story would have been much better if the author had stuck with a linear time line instead of moving back and forth from past to present.
*I will warn you right up front that this not an easy read. Abortion is a tough topic, and if you are sensitive you best stay away from it.

Girls on the Verge is a controversial book. I can already see this book being banned since it takes on abortion. This is a book meant to inform women about their rights being stripped away. This is an educational and informative read. I already know that many will be angry with the way it plays out, but the author has an important story to tell, and she is trying to draw attention to women’s rights. This is a book to read and discuss. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

A timely book about what choice really means to women.
Camille is pregnant and she knows what she wants to do. Texas law, however, is preventing that from happening. Armed with two friends an ensuing road trip will show all the girls what really matters and how choice can affect everything that you do. Told with a honest voice this book belongs on high school shelves.

This novel feels especially important these days--these days of Draconian laws concerning women and their bodies --and I'm so glad that I took the morning to read it; I'll definitely be giving this one to my daughters and will be putting it on my classroom library shelves as soon as I can. The story of Camille is the story of many young women and it's one that needs to be told in the light of day--not under the cover of darkness or with shame.

This story of an unplanned pregnancy and the fear, hopelessness, and confusion it can cause resonated with me. Every aspect of this--from the horror of the realization, the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness when you feel like you have no choice or that your choices are limited, the anger at people taking away safe options, and the loneliness you feel when it feels like you have absolutely no one to turn to-- captured so many of the emotions and thought processes that you undergo from the moment you discover that your pregnant...and you're not ready for it and you're certain this isn't what you wanted.

While this novel's main focus is Camille and her journey, it wouldn't be the novel it is without including her best friend Bea (and how conflicted she is about all of this), and an acquaintace-friend Annabelle--the person who really saves the day...saves many days. How I wish every woman had an Annabelle and a Bea in their lives. Bea's struggle with Camille's choices is one I know many of my own friends would have and yet I hope, like Bea, they'd ultimately choose to support a friend in need (I can say, for me, that I did have friends who are supportive like Annabelle and Bea). And with the way society seems to be frothing at the mouth to take women's right to choose away, I feel like the Annabelle's of the world are needed more than ever. The journey that these friendships take in a few short days feels like a journey that will solidify them in each other's life forever.

The journey of this novel spans days but feels like it spans a lifetime--a before and after. It offers a look at something we don't see very often. It asks you to consider Camille's experience and to remember, if you're no longer (or weren't ever) a young woman, how being young, inexperienced, without a steady income can limit your choices.

The subject matter may feel grim or sad, and I suppose it is, but I couldn't help but leave the novel feeling hopeful. The last scene in the novel offered me so much hope for Camille and the bright future she could have. Please pick up this novel and put yourselves in the shoes of these characters. Try to do so without judgement. Try to see what it feels like to be Girls on the Verge.