Courtney Summers specializes in making me feel uncomfortable and I mean that in a good way.
All of her books have been tough, hard to read, and raw.
I’m the Girl was heartbreaking to read.. it was so dark and gritty and naive and frustrating. I just felt so many things about everyone in the story as Georgia attempted to secure a place in a world she didn’t understand while trying to find out what really happened to a murdered girl.
The book was incredibly dark and not for anyone who is sensitive to any kind of content.
Also, I know a lot of people will not like Georgia, but I feel like it was bold to have written from her POV. Yes, she was naive and kind of dumb about the whole industry. As an adult, I just wanted to shake her and explain how things worked, but no one else in her life ever did. People are drawn into the glamour of things without realizing the ugly truth about them and young, beautiful girls are drawn to some of the worst things imaginable in our society and don’t always have people in their lives that warn them about it. We want to avoid talking about it, we want to assume girls are just being self absorbed or promiscuous, when sometimes maybe they are are just lost and they need people in their lives to level with them.
This book won’t be for everyone and it’s not comfortable to read, but it was so good and sharp and provocative.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read I'M THE GIRL early.

I have been a Courtney Summers fan since picking up CRACKED UP TO BE in high school. I'm drawn to Summers' style of writing; the way she roots us in the shoes of young women and makes us understand "unlikeable" girls.

Thank you, Courtney, for writing "unlikeable" girls.

I would recommend I'M THE GIRL to any reader because everyone has something to learn from its pages. I'M THE GIRL masterfully takes untrustworthy characters and makes them seem trustworthy. It makes us understand a young woman's confusion about how she fits into a man's world. It makes us understand a young woman's desperation to make something of herself--a desperation so poignant that she's ripe for the picking.

And then, of course, there's the all-too-real exploration of law enforcement's involvement in keeping powerful men powerful,

I'm not easily fooled--it's not often that I get to the end of a book and don't know the "who" in the who-dun-it. But in I'M THE GIRL, there's more than one who-dun-it, and that's a beautifully illustrated point in this book: there are entire societies of people who work together to protect men in power.

In true Courtney Summers fashion, I'm left with complicated thoughts and feelings about one of her books.

Courtney Summers doesn't write happy endings. She writes complete train wrecks so terrible you can't look away - in the best ways possible.

The difference I felt with this one is that I was thoroughly lost and confused through the first 20%, so much so that I HAD to go back and reread, which is mainly why I took one star away. The first 30-40% is just...odd. It's written oddly (as far as words and phrasing) and you're thrown into the not-quite-middle of the story but definitely not the beginning. It was truly my curiosity of /what the heck is happening/ that kept me going through the story. I was worried at one point that there wasn't going to be enough to keep me interested on solely the desire to figure out the story, but I got through it and there's a big event that happens just over 1/2 way through the book that carries you through the rest of it.

I didn't enjoy the ending - AT ALL. It felt abrupt and weird and unsatisfactory. I didn't expect happily ever after, but I wanted more closure than what we were given, and I felt that the last 15% was rushed in its pacing.

If I could give .5 stars, this would have been a 3.5 rating, but I thought it was a unique book and bumped it up to 4 stars for that reason - it's weird partially because it's not like every other book out there, and I greatly appreciate that.

Ever since I've read Sadie by Courtney Summers, I've been a big fan. Her books hit in ways that other books do not, and they constantly wrap you in and you always want more. Not sure if I'll ever feel the way I do when I read her books. Five stars, every single time.

Wow, what a heavy hitter of a book. Dark, tension filled with power struggles, sex, murder, money all rolled up into this gripping thriller. Some of the content may not be for all readers. The ending felt a little unfinished for all the tension readers go through.

Giving this a 3.5 star only because dark, gritty thrillers normally aren't my jam. But wow, the writing is FANTASTIC! You can feel the tension as you read!

I'm The Girl follows sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis as she becomes entangled in the brutal murder and assault of a fellow neighborhood girl, Ashley. Over the course of the book, she teams up with the victim's sister in hopes of finding answers about what really happened and who's out there killing young women. While this book is advertised as a thriller, it felt more like Georgia's coming-of-age story. Ashley's murder is tragic and starts the action of the book, however, it takes a backseat the more we get into Georgia's motivations for going to Aspera. I expected more from the story, but that's only because I thought I was about to read a murder mystery solved by two teenage girls.

Courtney Summers' writing is strong, poignant, and engaging — I'd happily read more from her. I just think I'm the Girl is not quite giving what it promises.

This thriller is all a reader would enjoy. It is brutal, stirring and heartbreaking. I can’t recommend this book enough. Courtney Summers has brought a realistic take to the genre. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the advanced reading copy of I’m The Girl by Courtney Summers.

This new thought provoking thriller from Courtney Summers is a must read.

Since the night Matthew Hayes found her on their road Georgia Avis wants nothing more than to be something, an Aspera Girl. A world of beauty, power, and intrigue. But is everything always as it seems? Georgia soon finds herself in unimaginable circumstances after finding the dead body of a 13 year old girl.

I highly recommend this book to past readers of Courtney Summers and people who like gripping, fast paced novels with open endings. I will continue to read everything Courtney Summers writes.

Georgia wakes up on the side of the road disoriented with a broken arm and a missing bike. Not far from the scene, she finds 13 year old Ashley dead. Georgia reluctantly agrees to help Nora find out who murdered her sister.

I wish that I could physically share with you the relief I felt around the 15% mark when I knew in my bones that whatever magic that Summers manifested to write Sadie was alive and well in I'm the Girl. Summers writing is unhinged. Her writing is an intoxicating blend of sexy and intimate, brutal and unforgiving. Reading I'm the Girl reminded me of every reason I fell into chaotic love with Summers work.

Here is what I love about Summers: her plots are hypnotizing, her characters are fully formed before they even speak up, and, most importantly, her plot and its resolution are never the point. The story and its unwindinh is just a vehicle to get you to sit with the discomfort of the point. Its like the salt-lick before the burn of tequila. I'm obsessed with this tactic. I admire the hell out of an author who lures you in with a siren call made of a black, glittery-plot, only to drop you off at the end of the novel dazed and unsatisfied. This is a brilliant tactic that only a meticulously self-aware author could pull off.

If you come into this novel expecting a gritty YA thriller, you might be disappointed. While I'm the girl has gritt by the bucket-full, it isn't your average thrill-ride. If you come in knowing you are getting more than just the price of admission I think you'll see how special and rare a reading experiences like this one is. You have to enjoy this for what it is not what you want it to be. Summers knows best! You have to let her do her thing. Is I'm the Girl as good as Sadie? In my inconsequential opinion, no. However, it is far more confident in its identity than Summers last book The Project!

A special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced readers copy of I'm the Girl in exchange for my honest review.

I'm super bummed to announce that you cannot get your hands on this until September 13th but what you can do is call up your local bookstore and pre-order this so you get it ASAP!

Just wonderful, maybe even better than my favorite "Sadie" from the same author. The queer rep was so great, the writing was beautiful and heartbreaking, I just can't recommend this enough.

This is really a lovely breakdown of living under a patriarchy. We can play into it, ignore the atrocities as long as we gain some benefit, "safe" until we open our eyes too widely or are unable to fulfill the purpose projected onto our bodies. A book friend described this as if the main character believes she is in a romcom, while everyone knows she's in danger. I think that simplifies the feeling a bit, but I digress. It is so hard to watch this hopeful young girl walk past the red flags and put her faith in those looking to take advantage of her.

Courtney is a must-read author. She tackles pain head-on without being exploitative. This was especially difficult to get through this past month, but I always come out of her novels feeling bittersweet. (The sweet feeling is there! There is some hope!)

Unfortunately, this book didn't blow me away like Sadie did. Georgia was infuriatingly stupid to me, and her growth only happening on the last page made me annoyed and mad, which is how I spent the majority of this book. Summers has some amazing works out there, but this story felt discombobulated and unfinished. There was none of the rage or understanding that radiated off her last book like this, instead just confusion and tired conversation on how powerful the rich are. This added nothing new or no new observations about it, just a sad girl who is refusing to learn for the better until the very, very end of the novel. I was frustrated with this and wished it did something more for what it was trying to say.

I am a huge Sadie fan so I was excited to request a digital ARC of this new book by Courtney Summers! I was so disappointed in this book because it was so fragmented and confusing from start to finish. That being said it was also a page turner and hard to put down. I still can't say that I enjoyed the story but it did hold my attention. Summers does not hesitate to write authentically raw and horrific stories. This one plunges the reader into a world of privilege and power in a patriarchal society that exploits the vulnerability of young women. Contemporary events such as Epstein's "Pedophile Island" and the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe vs Wade will stir up emotions and conversations among readers. I feel that the graphic sexual content lends this book to an older teen audience.

I haven't read a book this fast in months, and I honestly couldn't put this book down. I love Courtney Summers and all of her work and being able to read her books early has always been an honor. She is truly the nicest person and I appreciate her so much.

With all of her main characters Georgia quickly became one of my favorite main characters, and someone I really wanted to protect. Summers really has a way of making you connect really well with the characters, and making them so easy to trust even when you shouldn't. I can't wait for my physical copy to come in later this year.

Overall, I gave this book 5/5 stars and I can't wait for everyone to read it.

I'm The Girl by Courtney Summers was my first read by this author, and I think I will give her another try. I really enjoyed the premise and the story, Summers is very good at rounding out her characters and giving them depth. However, I felt like the way she writes with scenes ending so abruptly confused me a little. I also am still a little vague on the ending, but I can be ok with that. Overall, I will read more by Summers and recommend this read!

Although I enjoyed the author early books, I did not care for 'Sadie' that much and, sadly, I wasn't engrossed with this one either. It was certainly a dark and uncomfortable read because of the themes but I'm not sure I liked the way they were addressed nor felt any type of connection to Georgia. And I know I will probably be in the minority, but I was not a fan of the mystery, I found it quite predictable and unappealing.

This book is sad and viscerally real. This is definitely not something I'd recommend to just anyone. Definitely check trigger warnings if you need to because this deals with some extremely heavy topics. But I felt it did it in a way that felt respectful and true to real life experiences. I can't say I had a good time reading this book but I'm glad I picked it up

I've loved all of Summers' works that I've read so far and I'M THE GIRL doesn't disappoint! There's just something about Summers' writing that's so beautifully haunting and gripping - once I start reading one of her books, I can't put it down! Georgia is a haunting protagonist, and watching her relationship with Nora bloom was a wonderful bright spot on a bleak horizon. While the mystery itself is on the slow-burn side, the tension is sky high throughout, and kept me hooked. I often find the ending of thrillers to be rushed, but this one felt especially satisfying - with all of the clues and theories I'd come up with coming together in the final moments. Highly recommend!

I’m The Girl is the newest book by Courtney Summers. A spiritual successor to the much loved “Sadie,” we follow our main character, Georgia, an aspiring model, after she discovers the body of thirteen year old Ashley James. Georgia teams up with Ashley‘s older sister and together they try to figure out what happened to Ashley. Georgia finds herself thrust into a dark world where power is held by those who are rich and beautiful. When answers lead to even more questions, Georgia is left wondering if turning a blind eye to what she learns is her only choice if she wants to survive.

I read and loved Sadie when it came out in 2018 as I think most people were. When I saw that this book was being marketed as a spiritual successor, I was intrigued. You do not have to read Sadie to enjoy this book but it does have a very similar vibe.

This book is extremely dark, especially considering it is a young adult book. Make sure you check the trigger warnings if you are sensitive to anything. This book doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the hard hitting content. In this book, we are in Georgia’s head so we follow her thoughts. She has spiraling thoughts and it can be hard to follow but I loved it because it felt authentic. Because we are in Georgia’s head, there is a lot of information we as a reader don’t know because Georgia doesn’t know. The disjointed nature will make some people dislike this book.

This book also has extremely short chapters and that coupled with the mystery of everything going on make it very hard to put down. Some of the darker content was a lot to handle though so I did have to take a few breaks. But I really loved this book. It is something that I will be thinking about for a long time, much like Sadie. If you think you can handle very dark content and a narrative that isn’t always the easiest to understand, I would definitely recommend this book.

Name of Book: I’m The Girl
Author: Courtney Summer
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press ~ Wednesday Books
Genre: Teen/YA Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: September 13, 2022
My Rating: 3.2

I read both ": Sadie" and "The Project" by Courtney Summer] Loved "Sadie" but struggled a bit with "The Project". But have to admit I certainly have been looking forward to reading another story Ms. Summer!

Life changes for sixteen-year old Georgia Avis, when she finds the dead body of thirteen-year old Ashley James along the side of the road near the wealthy Aspera resort.
Ashley and her older sister, Nora are the daughters of the sheriff. Nora has graduated from Ketchum HS where she was one of the most popular girls. Nora joins Georgia and they set out to find out what really happened and who killed Ashley.
Story had me interested at times but it was a struggle. Georgia wants out of Ketchum and really wants to be an “Asperan Girl”. Hmmm

Want to thank NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press ~ Wednesday Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 13, 2022