The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe is a classic thriller set up – bank heist gone awry.

In a YA twist, it is the teen heroine trapped in the bank that has all the skills to get the thief (and ultimately, her friends and the other hostages) to safety. Why she has the smarts, and how she uses them is the story the unspools as she sweet talks, connives, and muscles her way through this very satisfying story.

This was a really compelling book, but it is way more serious and trauma-filled than the rather cutesy book blurb would lead you to believe. The "Three Problems" listed in the copy pale in comparison to all the lives that Nora has lead. The bank-robbers aren't some slapstick joke from a comedy movie, and Nora knows their types all too well because of the abusers she's encountered in her life. And Nora's not alone in her long history of physical and emotional scars, the main characters all have their own tough histories. It's a compelling read and I can see the potential for a second book, which I would pick up because I really liked these characters, but there is so many different kinds of abuse in this book that it's really the laidback jacket copy that leaves me annoyed.

Great thriller. I've loved falling for Sharpe's voice and writing style all over again and i love how incisive and precise and gut-wrenching it all felt. Her characters were raw and the plot was captivating thanks to the 24hrs timeline and the numerous flashbacks that allowed us a better understanding of Nora.

This is a quick, fast paced, unputdownable read! I really enjoyed how this book was was split into telling what was currently going on - the bank robbery - and learning about Nora's past that created who she is today. It was very interesting to learn about all the girls she has been, the lessons and tricks she has learned, and the relationships she built over the years. There were plenty of twists and turns along the way. I really didn't want it to end! Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.