Disturbed Girl by Veronica Bane is a YA thriller set against the backdrop of mystery and a young girl attempting to reinvent herself, only to find herself and those she knows plunged into a life-changing mystery. Filled with razor-sharp, tongue-in-the-cheek humor, and hints of young love, the book is a perfect summer-time read for those who are into YA thrillers.

The main character is Greta Riley Green. Greta finds herself and those she is beginning to care for, threatened by a co-worker's disappearance, the angst of trying to escape the past, and a mystery entangling Greta every moment.

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Difficult Girls can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org

Each chapter opens up with a journal-like entry and with a mix of first-person and third-person perspectives, Disturbed Girl reads like a roller coaster ride leaving the reader going through a whirlwind of emotions while caught up in both the innocence and angst of being a young adult trying to grapple with starting over. The plot makes the book a great summer read and has the balance of thrilling mystery and turns, while also capturing the emotions of a summer romance. 

In some places, the pacing may feel slow, but then it quickly picks up, almost capturing the feel of a thrilling roller coaster ride where every turn and drop surprises the reader. As a result, readers will find themselves in some areas of the story, holding their breathe as they experience the world through Greta’s eyes, as she tries to make sense of what is going on, and dealing with the realization not only is this interfering with her plans to try and start over, but finding her time caught up in suspense and concern. 

Veronica Bane captures the awkwardness and angst of being a young adult and both the good and bad memories of working a summer job. Add a mystery and the disappearance of a co-worker, and Greta’s summer job becomes more than about grappling with her past but also about her safety. 

The character's conversational style captures the nuances of the intended age group. Reading through Disturbed Girl, the setting is distinct as everyone has memories of being a young adult and teenager working in a theme park of some setting or attending one. Add a thriller, and it is easy to see how a theme park is the perfect setting for intrigue and friendship.

The cover for the book is eye-catching and makes it difficult (use of word intended), to forget about while staying up late to see if all will end well for Greta, her attempt to move on from what happened to her while solving a mystery, as well as the unique chapter divisions. The book as a whole read both as a personal memoir of Greta and at the same time as revisiting a case breaking down the events that occur in Greta’s life.

Disturbed Girl is a unique YA thriller and is recommended for teenagers, young adults, and those who still remember how life seems to always happen at an amusement park or theme park. 

Currently, I am using the same rating system as NetGalley, and I would have to rate this book as a 4. The basis is taking in characters, plot, and setting, I felt for Greta and found myself feeling for the frustration, the curiosity, and the hope she exhibited throughout the book as she struggled to make sense of the situation she was dealing with, and hoping to use the summer to move beyond her past.

 Normally, I don’t read YA thrillers, yet with Disturbed Girl, I found myself going back to previous chapters with a sense of having missed something or wanting to re-read before moving forward, which speaks to the book drawing in the readers, versus simply reading through the chapters. The use of the first-person is appealing to those who enjoy becoming a part of the character and lends itself to a feeling of sneaking a peek into someone's diary journaling a substantial event in their life. The b