I'm the girl was a mild ride with mild (and confusing) queer representation.

IM THE GIRL,; Georgia Avis, an impoverished orphan living in a small town with her brother dreams of getting out and making something of herself. When an opportunity to work at Aspera, a luxury retreat for the wealthiest men (and women) in the US presents itself she is ready for her big escape. While en route she discovers a body of young girl, and almost becomes a victim herself. As she navigates her trauma and dodging answers from the girls father (who happens to be the town sheriff and an alcoholic) and the girls sister (who keeps asking incredibly insensitive questions and bullying Georgia into giving her info, and despite that, Georgia finds she's attracted to her), and her own brother, who despises Aspera because of its history (their mother worked there and things didn't end up going so well for her). Still Georgia enters this elite playground for the uber wealthy and encounters violence, sexual assault and what exactly Aspera is willing to do for its guests.

I know this is YA but i found these back and forth conversations stiff and unrealistic, the incessant questioning and badgering of Georgia for information was also a bit much and the stakes (yes Nora wanted to find her sisters killer and sought her help) still felt like it was a lot to ask, especially when Nora was a highly unlikable character (in my opinion). The other thing that I found trivializing was Georgias sexuality, something I was excited to read about since I'm always on the hunt for queer representation in books across genres, was so...puzzling? Georgia thrived on the attention of men, their validation and their affection even though she was a lesbian which was confusing? She seemed more lost than secure in who she was and even the relationship with Nora felt a bit dull. The story itself didn't really feel fresh to me or offer a new cool POV from a queer lead. This was my first Courtney summers book so I'm not sure if this was the style of writing or something new but it just felt a bit choppy for me. I think the story had a promising arc and an interesting lead that unfortunately fell flat for me.

OUT NOW

Courtney Summers books always leave me breathless and heartbroken and this one was no different. I loved this MC who was so in love with herself for someone so young but also couldn't tell when those around her were hurting her. Her naiveté a trust in the beautiful adults around her read perfectly for the story and her age. I think this is a story that in some ways shows how a cycle of abuse can continue when we don't share information so people can protect themselves.

16 year old Georgia Avis has been obsessed with Aspera since her mother worked there and the gorgeous couple who run it saved her on the side of the road. At 16, Georgia is invited to work there, and due to the poverty of her older brother turned guardian, she is allowed. Georgia is quickly swept up in the beauty, wealth, and privilege but is also drawn into a dark and sticky web of violence. Prior to starting, she found a dead girl on the road leading to Aspera and promises to help the girl's older sister, Nora, find the killer. As the mystery unspools, so does the opulence of Aspera and Georgia must do everything she can to protect herself.

There are so many ways young girls can be and are hurt in our world Courtney Summers always cuts down to the heart of them in her books. I love Georgia for loving herself and her beauty so much, but unfortunately that is her downfall as well. She wants to be adored and when those around her that she idolizes start grooming her, she falls into it quickly, hoping for an end to her impoverished and ugly life. Her guardian as absent and secrets are kept from her about the reality of the place she works. Her brother KNOWS what goes on at Aspera because their mother worked there prior to her death, but still he lets Georgia work there too. Georgia is taken advantage of again and again and doesn't understand in her youth and innocence.

In the heart of this book, there is a small, soft, blossoming sapphic romance and it's sweetness is what keeps the whole things from being too dark. The end of the book has little hope but a lot of love and it feels real in ways something more positive would not.

I would recommend this to those that enjoy YA thrillers or other Courtney Summers books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Every Courtney Summers' book I read further solidifies her place in my mind as one of the best YA authors of this generation. What makes her stand out to me is her characterizations. She has a knack for writing interesting, multi-faceted characters that are fully fleshed out and it increases the tension of her plot. I will gladly read every book she publishes from here on out.

This was sort of a let down - I loved Sadie but this felt “too” YA for me - but 3 solid stars for the beautiful writing. I’m going to try out the project next

The writing was superb with difficult topics and I would definitely recommend to others. Not a superb plot, but the writing will definitely keep you reading.

Wow, what a rollercoaster.

I wanted to start off with an acknowledgement of TW for SA and grooming.

The book starts off a bit disjointed, I don't mean this as a criticism but rather that it's almost manic. Which is fitting as Georgia Avis is a bit manic at the open of this book. She's just gotten herself in over her head with what had seemed like a promising start as a model, she's quickly realized was a scam. And BAM she's hit by a car.

As he reader, you're also caught off guard. She's just seen a young girl's dead body in the woods and then was a victim of a hit and run. It's a small town so she knows the dead girl, she knows her family, she knows her sister. And Nora, the sister, is ready to find out what happened to her little sister. She's ruthless, she's determined to uncover the truth, whatever it may be.

And Georgia decides to help Nora out. She's just started a new job working at a prestigious club, sort of like an elite resort.

I wasn't expecting the twists and turns that came with this book. Having read and loved Sadie, it was great to see the Easter Egg in this novel.

This is a tough read and a tough review. Following the story of Georgia and examining many of the harsh realities of life. Summers has a way with writing about uncomfortable topics yet still keeping the reader engaged and curious about the next plot point.

I am a strong advocate for YA thrillers. I think they’re honestly better than most of the adult thrillers I’ve read recently, in part because their plots are much more varied and unqiue than the woman disappears and her husband did it trope. In I’M THE GIRL, Georgia, a teen girl desperate to escape poverty, finds the body of Ashley James, a 13-year-old girl. Georgia teams up with Ashley’s older sister Nora to find the killer and seek justice for Ashley before they have a chance to strike again, which involves Georgia beginning to infiltrate the world of the powerful and wealthy. I really enjoyed this, which feels odd to say because it covers some tough topics and is not for the faint of heart. It was SO well-written and utterly riveting and compelling. The characterization was strong, and Summers is clearly a master of plotting. This is called a “spiritual successor to SADIE,” which I haven’t read but am adding to my list ASAP. Highly recommend!

Nonstop from beginning to end I could not put this book down and was fully engaged wondering what would happen next!

One thing about Courtney Summers - she's gonna write an unsettling story that pulls sympathy from you. I'm The Girl deals with a Lot of intense topics and Summers is incredibly eloquent when writing through them. Georgie - in my opinion - was a complex character. Being a teenage girl is hard, add being an orphan, getting hit by a car, stalked, and a myriad of other trauma experiences to that and you're willing to do anything to get out of your own life. I'm a fan of all of Courtney Summers's books and this one is a new favorite.

Courtney Summers has a way of writing that will keep you on the edge of your seat, keep you guessing, and throw you through more loops than you ever thought possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Courtney Summers has yet to write a book that I didnt' enjoy! She does not shy away from real and dark topics and her angry, strongwilled, teenage girl main characters are so real and so easy to root for. My only problem with this book is that the main character automatically assumes everyone is wanting the worst for her, except for the people that actually do. Otherwise, I loved the setting and the main character's voice. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

I've loved Summers' previous YA novels, so the as soon as I first heard about this one, I was dying to read it. I was even more thrilled when the publisher reached out directly to me with an early copy! I honestly, I thought I would zoom through this one as quickly as I did with [Sadie] or [The Project]. But this one just didn't resonate with me. Maybe because I got a late summer cold in the middle of reading it is partly why I never found myself terribly eager to pick this one up. I am not sure why this one didn't work for me, really... I struggled to connect with the characters and there were even a few moments where I contemplated not finishing it - completely the opposite of what I anticipated.

While I liked the immediacy of the writing, I think it actually somehow slowed the pacing down because it wasn't always clear what exactly was taking place. The opening of the book - and premise - where Georgia Avis discovers the corpse of the younger sister of a classmate that she has long been drawn to - does hook the reader in, but it all gets a bit garbled in between the weight of grief, the sexualization and victimization of these young teens and the plethora of male predators in this Iowa town.

Georgia finally starts working at the town's ritzy and exclusive resort, but the price of being an Aspera Girl is higher than she imagined. Georgia's overall naïveté is mind-boggling. Her vanity, shallow attitude and odd blinders make it difficult to connect with her - or to root for her romance. Nora deserves better... I am sure that this will incite lively discussion amongst readers, but to be honest, I wish that I had skipped this one.

This was my first book by Courtney Summers and it was pretty good. I passed it on to work so they would order a copy

Not every Courtney Summers is for everyone. However, each one will hurt in just the right amount in just the right way that makes you come back over and over which is exactly what this one is.

Thank You to the Publisher and Net Galley for my review copy.

This book was sooooo interesting to read. The main character is unlikeable, but you are still rooting for her. I suspected every single person of being the bad guy in this, I couldn't just pick one. I was literally nervous the whole time. The one thing I didn't really feel was the chemistry between the main character and the love interest. It was believable that they would start to have feelings for each other due to the close proximity and obsession with the murder that happened, but other than that.. they didn't seem to have any... spark? I felt more chemistry between the main character and her boss's wife honestly.

Courtney Summers is still the queen of YA thrillers that make you itch under your skin. I will always pick up books by this author because she never does what I expect her to do!

I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers

Well, this was a dark, uncomfortable book which had that trainwreck feeling where you want to look away but can’t.

Georgia is a naive 16 year old who thinks her way to bigger and better things is her beauty. Her dream is to be an “Aspera girl” at an exclusive resort. After falling for a scam and posing for “modeling” pictures, she then discovers the body of a 13 year old who was raped and left in the ditch and then hit by car and her pictures are stolen.

The victim’s sister, Nora, is a high school classmate of George’s and is looking for more details and answers. Her dad has gone drunk and off the rails and she and Nora he come bound together in this tragedy.

The relationship between the two girls was my favorite part. I guessed where this book was going early on but that didn’t make it any easier to read. It was a heavy read, dealing with heavy subjects where wealthy people have all the power and can world it without concern with the innocence and well being of anyone else. Many CW here so please check those out if you need them.

I will say I was shocked this was YA. It was very dark and graphic and heavy so I would be mindful of that.

"I'm the Girl" is one of those novels that is incredibly difficult to read but nonetheless an important commentary on how the wealthy take advantage of the poor. As an adult reading this, I found myself frustrated with Georgia and her family for most of the book. To me, it was so obvious what was going on, but I suppose that was the point? To point out how naive and easily manipulated young women can be, especially by men in power? What stuck out the most to me was how women like Cleo can also benefit from the exploitation of other women like her. I think I would have liked the book more if I was a younger reader, but as an adult who could see the warning signs I was just angry. Also - if Georgia's mother and brother knew what was going on at Aspera, why didn't they just tell her instead of making her feel like she was unworthy for years? They could have protected her. I would have liked more information about the ending as well. Did anything happen to the people at Aspera? What about the other girls working there? Overall I do think this is a good book, but I was left wanting more answers and questioned the characters decisions too much.

This one's hard to rate as I'm not a young adult but I am a sucker for them. I expected to love love love this. I did love all the lies and unlikable and untrustworthy characters. However Georgia didn't seem, I don't know, fully developed? I didn't get a chance to really connect or root for her. And I'm confused on her behavior and thinking. One minute she understands people sucks and men want her for her looks but then almost shocked at how men and rich men do bad things? I don't know. The style of writing also had me feeling like I was missing something. Like a book beforehand. It was dreamlike and just jumped in and I felt so confused I had to go back and read it cause I was just not getting it. Trying to be super like lyrical and to me it came out choppy, a bit sloppy, and very much confusing

I expected way more suspense and feels and for the book to kill me a bit like Sadie but it definitely missed . Still it did have it's unsettling moments and shined a light on import topics. But still underwhelming. I was expecting to be way overwhelmed by the end

For some, especially younger people it's gonna be a rough read (emotionally) and I'm going to give it 3 instead of what I think could be 2 because again I'm not a young adult anymore. I still love this author and the premise but not what I expected from this author at all

Courtney Summers' novels always manage to destroy me, and I'm the Girl is no different. All Georgia Avis wants is for others not just to recognize but also to reward her beauty. After all, beautiful people run the world; it is something we all know because we see it daily in the news. At seventeen, Georgia is impatient and ready to do what it takes to reap those rewards owed to her. What she endures with no complaint and, even worse, no idea about its heinousness hits you in the gut. Georgia does understand the world even though she appears naive and innocent, but what strikes the reader the most is her belief that there is no other way to obtain what you want. It is as heartbreaking an idea as it is repugnant. Watching Georgia maneuver not only a murder investigation but also the life of the highly wealthy as she tries to obtain everything she wants is Ms. Summers at her finest.