This is the second book by this author that I have read, and it is definitely a book to make you stop and think about the impact of perceived beauty in our culture.

This wasn't an easy book to read due to various situations. I say not easy as in the topics are deeper such as exploitation of young girls, rape, assault, drugs, and self-worth.

Georgia has had to endure a lot in her life with the death of her mother, being lured into a seamy situation by an older man, death of a friend, and trying to find her place in this world. Sadly, she hinges everything on her perceived beauty. She may be beautiful, but she believes that she can become more based on this one attribute. As we learn in our lives, beauty is fleeting and there has to be more to a person to make it in this world. I think she is lost and has not had the best role models or guidance from family members to realize that there is more to life than the outside package.

I did feel like the book was disjointed at various spots, and I sometimes wondered why the characters were so obtuse. That said, it is still a story that fits into our world, and I think there might be some that can relate to the character's situations. It won't be a comfortable read, so be prepared.

I love the way the author shines a spotlight on critical issues. There was a heaviness to this book and I was not in a frame of mind to process it all.

Man, this is ROUGH you guys. While I loved Sadie and I'm the Girl is supposed to be a "spiritual successor" (whatever that means) to it, this one just really didn't work for me as well. It is really dark, gritty, and hard to read, and I think it is probably best suited to an older YA audience as opposed to a younger one. It didn't read like young adult to me besides Georgia's age and it seems like it would be hard to recommend to the right age group. You are definitely going to have to watch your triggers before you start as well, and I thought that the mystery aspect got a little lost amidst Georgia's naïveté and all of the terrible things that happen to her. I also didn't think this was a thriller even though it is marketed as one. So, on that front, it was a miss for me.

I did love the LGBTQIA representation and (as always) Courtney Summers' writing, which is what really allowed me to keep going. The audiobook also had a hand in keeping me invested because the narrator Lori Prince was AMAZING. She sounded just the way I was imagining Georgia would sound, and she was able to completely bring to life how young and conflicted the MC was. That being said, I did get a little lost in what the point of the story was, and it meandered around a little too much for me. There are definitely some incredibly important themes in I'm the Girl and would make a great discussion book because there is so much to unpack in the story. While I didn't love it, I am in the minority and if you can handle the triggers this book brings, I would still recommend giving it a go.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Man, this book made me so mad. I tend to have that feeling when reading Summers' books, but this one in particular made me mad. I don't really want to give anything away so this review is likely going to be short and vague.

This book is less focused on characters and a specific plot and felt more focused on the world run by power, beauty, and wealth. Don't get me wrong, the mystery regarding who killed Ashley was interesting and I wanted to know very badly who did it. And we do find out what happened to her, but knowing the answer didn't make me feel any better in this case.

I'm the Girl is all about the abuse that those in power can dole out without any repercussions. It felt almost too realistic and I could think of too many real cases in which behavior like this had occurred. It was absolutely maddening to read about the behavior of these characters and how easily it was accepted as normal and okay.

I really don't want to say any more about that subject because I wouldn't stop and I would give it all away, so I'm going to switch to the characters for a bit.

Georgia was a very compelling character. I really empathize with her story throughout the book and came to feel both exasperated by some of her behavior/thought processes (mostly regarding her mother) and super protective of her. I liked her relationship with Nora and the support they protected each other.

This book is definitely a difficult read in terms of content. I binged a lot of fluffy romance after reading this because it was just a lot by the end, but I would definitely recommend giving it a read. It's intense but touches on so many real issues that are important to discuss and challenge in popular media.

3.5—A very hard read, so please check the trigger warnings before picking it up. I’ve read three books by Summers and I’ve finished each one feeling empty. I never feel satisfied by the outcome, and that’s because they’re all bleak as hell. It’s not a bad read, she’s a fine writer the plot is good, the characters are complex, the writing is intriguing-_but man. Give me a resolved happy ending for once, please.

“What makes you decide to kill a girl? What makes you decide not to?”

This was a hard one. After reading Sadie a few years back, I knew I needed more Courtney Summers in my life. Until I saw the ARC for I’m the Girl, I kind of forgot all about it. I’m so glad I went and requested it. It was such a great read for the mood I was in, and I finished it in one sitting. (I definitely felt it the next day.)

Georgia Avis is riding her bike when she’s suddenly hit by a car. As she stumbles away, she sees someone in a ditch. Unfortunately, the young girl is dead, and she’s only thirteen. This sends the town, and Georgia, on a terrifying journey to see what money can really buy.

“You’re going to learn very, very fast that money can make anything happen.”

This is a very timely book. Georgia’s town is a normal one, except it is home to Aspera, an exclusive, members only resort for the rich and famous. Georgia wants nothing more than to be an Aspera girl. They’re beautiful, they’re talented, and they’re special. Coming from poverty, she wants to be part of their world.

This is a very sad, very bleak novel. It deals with some heavy topics, so please check content warnings at the end of this review. I kind of knew from the description how the novel might go, but I was still not prepared for the emotions I felt reading this book. In a world where so many people are just struggling to survive, there’s a real group of people who are paying money to be horrible people. This book is not listed as based on a true story, but we can definitely guess.

“Maybe it’s not how much time passes—it’s what it takes from you when it does.”

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

CW for death of a child, murder, rape, drugging, pedophilia, sexual assault/violence, suicide, incest, grooming, abuse of authority, and corruption

3.5 stars-

One night while biking on a remote road, Georgia Avis is hit by a car, and simultaneously discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James. She then teams up with Ashley's older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. Georgia, a beautiful 16 year old aspires to be an Aspera Girl. Aspera Girls work at a wealthy, and elite club. When an opportunity to work at Aspera opens up, Georgia starts work there while also investigating Ashley's death.

I have never read a Courtney Summer's book but have had The Project on my TBR for forever, so when the opportunity came to read I'm The Girl, I jumped at the chance. I went in not really knowing anything and it wasn't quite what I expected. I can see how others might like this book if they regularly read YA but this was not for me. There were repetitive descriptions of Georgia's body and other's bodies, lots of trigger warnings including assault. It was a difficult read but it was a very fast read!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another masterful novel by Courtney Summers exploring the ways girls navigate power structures in their world; this time, agency around beauty and relationships. I'm the Girl is often creepy and disconcerting, but that's the point—there aren't simple answers here, and she doesn't shy away from the complexities of navigating your power as a beautiful young woman. I can't wait to re-read.

This queer, addicting thriller, “I’m the Girl” by Courtney Summers, deals with murder, assault, relationships, and class issues. That’s all you need to know.

I love Courtney Summers. I would happily read her grocery list and beg for more. I knew this book would destroy me going in, and yet, I still devoured it through my tears and aching heart. What can I say other than this is another brilliant masterpiece that I wish I could read again for the first time. A million stars! All the stars!

Truly I wish I had got my act together to read the eARC I received from NetGalley and Wednesday Books well before publication day so that I could then reread the copy I pre-ordered from my indie bookstore! Alas, procrastination got the better of me, so I dipped into the ebook the weekend prior and then finished I’m the Girl in all its hardcover glory. I braced myself for devastation, and I was not disappointed. Courtney Summers just seems to be continually reaching new heights of her powers. If I sound like a fangirl, it’s because I am one!

Sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis lives in small town Ketchum. With her mother having passed not too long ago, Georgia is supported by her hard-working older brother. But she has aspirations of her own: she wants to become an Aspera girl. Aspera is the ritzy private retreat on the outskirts of town, and Georgia’s mother worked there—as a cleaner—before being fired in disgrace. Georgia’s brother wants nothing to do with Aspera. But the sudden and shocking murder of the thirteen-year-old daughter of a police officer—on the road that leads to Aspera, no less—throws everything into turmoil and doubt. Even as Georgia’s desires seem to be within reach, she has to decide if that is truly what she wants—or would she rather figure out what she has with Nora, and who killed Ashley?

At its most basic, I’m the Girl is technically a murder mystery. Nora and Georgia are allies—albeit reluctant ones at first—in solving the murder of Nora’s sister. Indeed, this was my first impression of the book from the marketing I saw. But please don’t be mistaken: this is not a cozy sapphic detective team-up. It is brutal and twisted and you are not going to feel comfortable reading it. It’s about the ephemeral and illusory nature of power in a misogynistic society that regards women as bodies more than people. Ashley’s murder is a part of that, of course, as is what Georgia experiences. But there’s a reason that Georgia is the sole narrator of this book.

Georgia is young. Sheltered, even. Her mother has gone to great lengths to protect her from the harshness of this world, but of course, Georgia resents her for this. I love how Summers subtly reinforces Georgia’s youthful inexperience. At various times throughout the book, Georgia will casually remark about how she doesn’t know or doesn’t understand something, whether it’s how to do something on the computer or the meaning of a word. Sometimes these confessions are solely to us, the readers; sometimes they are to people in her life. It’s a small thing, but it reminds us that everything we read in this book is being filtered through the mind of a sixteen-year-old girl from a small town. Lots of books are like this, of course, but what I mean when I highlight this fact is that Georgia is more conduit than character.

Indeed, this book at times feels like an arthouse film where the cinematography and scene structure matters more than the acting. If I have a criticism of I’m the Girl, it’s mainly that Georgia receives very little character development for a protagonist. She is stubbornly fixated on becoming an Aspera girl, even as the flags around her turn deeper and deeper shades of red. I bet that if I head over to the Goodreads reviews of this book, I’ll see—yep, there’s a bunch of 1-star reviews highlighting this flaw. And I get it! We all want to see an innocent protagonist who gets taken advantage of, victimized, abused, grow and challenge her abusers and somehow win. Summers is as stubborn as Georgia in refusing to give us that satisfaction. If you have read Sadie then you shouldn’t be surprised, though you are allowed to be disappointed.

But I don’t really even consider this a criticism on my part if I look at the book through that different artistic lens. Georgia is how Summers distills the theme of the book into a reasonably linear narrative. Georgia doesn’t change for most of the book because part of the point of I’m the Girl is that our world doesn’t change, at least not in this respect. Even after #MeToo and #TimesUp, even when a big man falls and ends up in prison for his crimes, the fundamental fabric of our society remains patriarchal. The players and pawns change but the game itself does not.

With this in mind, an ending that might feel frustrating and meaningless becomes, in many ways, the most uplifting part of the book. There is incredible power not just to the final line itself, but to how the book design actually supports its delivery. The line is its own final chapter, and the book is typeset in such a way that it appears on the verso, so you’re forced to turn the page before seeing it. The last thing you read, the penultimate line, is “I bring my hands to the necklace.” In that moment, everything Georgia has experienced hangs in the balance. The necklace is a metaphor for the life Georgia has been trying to build for herself, at only sixteen. What she does next is everything, is an indication of where Georgia will be going from here. So you have to pause. You have to take in the blank space at the end of the chapter, a yawning lacuna fraught with possibility, before turning the page to read that final line and learn Georgia’s fate—or at least, rather, get the barest of hints. It’s brilliant.

Summers has a well-deserved reputation for devastation, a reputation I have long agreed with in my reviews. Make no mistake: I’m the Girl is a devastating novel. As I said earlier, it’s brutal. There are graphic depictions of the body of a murdered girl and multiple scenes of rape. This is not a nice book to read; I didn’t particularly enjoy it. If you came here looking for a more straightforward thriller, I think you’ll be very disappointed. Similarly, though this book will inevitably be labelled as young adult thanks to its protagonist’s age, it is not. Not really. But the book’s refusal to conform to neat genre lines isn’t the book’s problem; it’s ours.

Indeed, you can dislike this book and criticize it for being a hot mess of an experiment—as long as you recognize that’s what it is. And that, I think, is what I am celebrating here as a Courtney Summers fangirl. A decade ago, Summers was writing relatively straightforward young adult narratives about how we fuck up the lives of high school girls. They were good, sometimes even great, and even then Summers demonstrated her power to plumb the depths of teenage angst. But her last three novels have, in my estimation, eclipsed her earlier works by dint of her willingness to play with story structure and character in a way that she did not or could not before. I can see how someone coming to this book as their first Summers experience, or coming to it hoping for a retread of any of her previous works, might feel let down. I can’t say that I feel that way, though, because all I feel is awe.

Despite Summers being the Queen of Devastation, and despite this novel being so unrelenting in its brutality, I feel compelled to conclude that this might be one of the more hopeful entries in Summers’ entire repetoire. Is that weird? Like, Sadie remains my far-and-away favourite simply for the indelible space that girl has set up in rent-free in my mind, but that book is also quite graphic and bleak in its telling and does not, in my opinion, offer even the smallest morsel of hope for a better future. I’m the Girl, on the other hand, grants us at least one moment of hoping for something more.

Our world doesn’t change, alas. Georgia’s story is too many girls’ stories. It shouldn’t be. One day, I hope, it isn’t. But until that time, novels like this bear witness to the fundamental flaws of our society. They refuse to glorify or excuse this violence, but they also don’t sanitize it. They refuse to let us look away. The powerful men at the centre of this story are truly heinous, yet they cannot operate with such impunity unless they are supported by people—including women—who manage to rationalize their complicity until they can still sleep at night. Because, yes, men do these awful things to women and girls. But the rest of us are the ones who keep letting them get away with it.

I struggle with this one, I've heard many good reviews but the story is just not holding my attention. I'm finding it hard to read, first because of the content and second because of the structure. The content is uncomfortable, which isn't a bad thing, just something that you need to be in the right mood for, and I haven't been. The structure's been the stickler though, I get that the choppy sentences have a lyrical effect, however its keeping me from really immersing myself in the story. Unfortunately, its a DNF for me at this point.

I loved this latest title from Summers. The short chapters made it very readable, and all the characters felt very real! My only issue was how rushed the ending was, but other than that the book was very well thought out, and the plot twist was shocking even though I predicted it!

I'm definitely in the minority here but this did not work for me at all. I did not finish at 15%. I honestly felt like I'd been dropped in the middle of a book. I was so confused from the beginning and nothing cleared up. There were so many characters and I felt like there was a chunk of story missing from the beginning. I ultimately felt no interest in continuing and put it down.

“Because this world is made by men. Beauty is decided by them. And there’s nothing you can do about any of it.”

Part murder mystery; part coming of age story, I’m the Girl is a powerful, difficult read. Georgia Avis wants nothing more than to be welcomed into the hidden, elite world of Aspera girls. But, the secrets behind the luxury facade are brutal and dangerous. Avis’s desire to transform her life beyond her mother’s limitations oozes from the page and will resonate with many readers. The degree to which others take advantage of her naive, raw need will strike a chord. Some of Summers’ most powerful writing.

While Georgia is a high school student, this reads more like New Adult than YA. Too much for a high school library, it is a book that will resonate sharply for some. The larger conversation regarding the male gaze wielded by those with power and its potential brutal impact will serve as a warning for some and a ”seen” moment for others. Georgia’s raw need and vulnerability made her susceptible for those looking to groom her interactions with the exclusive and elite Aspera club, reminiscent of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s private island.

Fans of Courtney Summers’ writing will find familiar themes: strong sibling bonds, authentic people navigating a brutal reality, strong female characters. The beauty of language is both immersive and engaging, raw and beautiful making it impossible to look away from Georgia’s story. A powerful book many need to read and discuss -now, more than ever.

Readers who appreciated Jackson’s Grown will find similar themes here.

CW in comments:
The CW are many regarding violence and exploitation of women. Also, a few detailed open door sexual experiences.

Out now. Thanks to #Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this title.

Courtney Summers just hit me with a complete gut-punch of a read with I’M THE GIRL. This book is so visceral and captivating that despite being focused on a dark and depressing subject matter, the reader doesn’t want to stop reading. You instantly connect with the main character, Georgia, who feels simultaneously like the youthful, naive sixteen-year-old she’s supposed to be and a woman who has seen and felt too much in her short amount of years.

I honestly wasn’t sure where this book was headed when I started. There’s a dead body and a mysterious wealthy estate called Aspera that hosts the elite and secrets far beyond the imagination. How does it all connect to Georgia? Summers has twist after twist to take you down the path of discovery. There were a few things I was able to guess and predict, but the journey towards their actual revelation kept me on the edge of my seat. This book is easy to binge, but also feels like something you want to take your time processing.

Needless to say, I’M THE GIRL finally opened my eyes to why so many people love Courtney Summers’ writing and I’ll definitely be adding more of her books to my shelves.

A huge thank you to Wednesday Books for my gifted copy!

This is a lesbian coming-of-age dark thriller. This is my third book by this author. She tends to write about complex issues and this book is no exception.

I'm The Girl is a Queer mature YA thriller that deals with many disturbing topics. The book is not overly graphic. But to me this is an adult read with a 16 year old narrator.

The narrator is 16 year old Georgia. She acts like an adult in some ways. Yet she also seems clueless too.

This is a gritty book that will make you feel uncomfortable (especially when you realize what real life story this book is based on). There is a murder and Georgia gets closer to the girl's sister.

This is a complex story about a teen who wants to see herself as beautiful. And it makes her do certain things that are not smart. She wants to work at the same members only resort that her dead mom hated. She makes incredibly stupid choices. But she only has her older brother to look after her. But he has to work all of the time.

I was invested in the story but felt sick about some of the developments. The author tends to write books that will be impactful. But they aren't light or easy reads. The book was equally riveting and disturbing.

Georgia has a dream that her life can be better because a very important man once told her she was beautiful. She’s never forgotten that moment, even when her mother tries to get her to behave pragmatically. But her mother’s gone and she’s being raised by her older brother and she decides to chase after her dream. Things don’t quite work out the way she expects. While riding her bike toward her “dream,” she’s hit by a car. When she regains consciousness, she discovers her bike and phone are gone and then she discovers the body of Ashley James, a thirteen year old who was living life too fast and now would never be fourteen. This is the beginning of Courtney Summers’ I’m the Girl, a novel that will have you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails.

In one of her earlier novels, Sadie, Courtney Summers gives us a character who will do anything to find and avenge her sister’s murder. In I’m the Girl Sadie’s counterpart would be Nora, smart, tough, capable seeking to find the killer of her younger sister, Ashley. Nora’s character is a terrific foil for Georgia’s character, which doesn’t really become evident until well into the novel when we begin to suspect that Georgia isn’t providing us with her real truth.

As I read I’m the Girl, it became clear that I could expect almost anything of anyone. And what also became clear is that the dream vision that Georgia’s clung to, being a beautiful Aspera girl who works at the exclusive resort at the end of the road, may be smoke and mirrors, more a dream for the wealthy than a reality for a poor girl. Of course, the reality is far uglier than even I imagined, and I’ve got a good imagination (but not Courtney Summers’ good).

Georgia is a frustrating character who I had to remind myself was just a teenager and who believed everything the media doles out about how very wonderful it is to be beautiful. Being beautiful will cure all of your ills. She finds out the hard way that it doesn’t.

A theme reiterated in the novel is the power of men. “If this is the way of the world, do you accept it?” They control. They use force. They manipulate. Cleo, a mother-figure/dream-figure for Georgia, explains to her that she can manipulate. She can get a man where she wants him. She convinces Georgia that this can be enough.

Georgia, though, is a lesbian. A naïve, dreamy one at that, whose navigation of this world is troubling. She makes me think of Lolita. Of a girl testing her seduction powers without understanding what it could lead to. A girl who believes her own beauty will one day dominate the world because a powerful man called her beautiful. In this way, Georgia’s beauty is her own drug. It makes her heady, unstable, sometimes unhinged.

When Georgia learns truths, she also must once again face the question: If this is the way of the world, do you accept it?

And this is probably the question Courtney Summers is posing. Powerful, illuminating, gut-wrenching.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This just was…not good? I had a problem with it from the very beginning honestly- the storytelling left a lot to be desired and the pacing was just…not great. I’m starting to think that Sadie was a fluke and Courtney Summers isn’t an author for me.

I’m the Girl is an incredibly powerful and spine-chilling read. It is the story of Georgia, who has always wanted to adventure to the secret club of Aspera…what seems to her an ethereal world of power and privilege. Yet while on the road to Aspera, she finds the broken corpse of Ashley James and Georgia is intentionally hit by a car. As Georgia struggles to remember who was in the car, she is drawn into the decadent lure of Aspera. Then comes Nora, Ashley’s older sister, who demands Georgia help her unmask Ashley’s killer. Georgia agrees, but is plagued by amnesia and a promise to her older brother to keep out of trouble. As the town mourns and the killer is nowhere to be found, Georgia must decide how much she will risk at Aspera for justice and the truth about what happened on the road.

I’m the Girl is a heart-pounding story; I couldn’t stop reading once I started! The prose draws you in, creating a compelling plot as the mystery is unraveled. One of my favorite parts was the unlikely friendship (and something more…?) between Georgia and Nora. Georgia is a fierce heroine, who overcomes so much. I also loved how she had a great relationship with her brother, they always tried their best to be there for each other no matter what.

The writing was simultaneously elegant and realistic. I appreciated how Georgia must reconcile the memories of her mother and what she uncovers about the truth at Aspera. I’m the Girl holds up a mirror to real world issues of people in power, privilege, sexual assault, missing girls, and grief. I would recommend I’m the Girl for fans of queer romance, true crime, and powerful plots. Absolutely check the trigger warnings as they are very important. Thank you to Courtney Summers, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc