I am trying to find the word to describe this book and the only thing that comes to mind is intense. Twisted, horrific and terrifying are also up there too, but living in Gia's thoughts while she goes through whatever fresh hell that was is... hard.
This was not my first Mia Ballard novel, I read Sugar a thoroughly enjoyed it, I would definitely put that a lower scale of horrific for sure, so she really brought it with this one. One of my favourite parts about psychological horror is the feeling you are left with once you are finished with it. The mind-boggling "was that for real moment" where you try to read between the lines and figure out what in the world is actually happening. At its core Shy Girl encapsulates feminine rage and it does a good job of that. I am indignant and furious on Gia's behalf too.
The story follows Gia a young woman who after losing her job has been struggling to keep up with her expenses. As things get increasingly dire, she turns to the internet to help her find a Sugar Daddy to keep her afloat. Gia lives her life compulsively and goes into her arrangement with Nathan, thinking she had figured out all the possible scenarios of how it could go. Of course to us the reader we can very quickly see that, that is of course not the case.
This book is not for the faint of heart, despite is soft and gentle looking cover this book contains extreme imagery of gore, body horror and SA. So make sure you read the author's note before diving in! I can safely say this book will stay with me forever and I would recommend to all who enjoy horror and also know that books are in fact political.

I simply could not put this book down. A disturbing but empowering story of captivity, abuse, feminine rage, revenge, and autonomy. Despite the cover, the story's tone drastically evolves over the course of 240 pages, and its pacing is perfect.

I appreciated the first person narration from a character with OCD. One part in particular truly made me nauseous, so that's how you know it's good horror! Some of the surrealistic elements turned me off at first, but they really fell into place.

Easily a 5/5 for me. A true horror story; I can’t wait to read more from Ballard.

Thank you Net Galley and Galaxy Press for the ARC! Shy Girl releases March 1, 2025.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc copy of this book!

I am not sure what I was expecting with “shy girl” but it definitely was not what I thought it would be. The first half of the book lived up to what I thought and I wondered this may be scary but where is the horror? Then came the second half of the book that left my jaw unhinged, my stomach turning and became nail bitingly scary. I could not put the book down but I will say there was so many times where I had to pause and genuinely try and process what I was reading.

I will preface with I am not an extreme horror reader. I read horror books here or there but not avidly. For someone who loves horror and opening up the larger meaning behind all of it and the metaphorical nature this will be amazing for you.

I devoured shy girl within a day. This was beautifully written but also so horrifying at the same time? It makes you really step back and think what would we do for money? What is worth the sacrifice? As a woman this book made me think a lot about my own bodily autonomy and my rights..

I couldn’t put this down and I couldn’t look away.

"Shy Gir" by Mia Ballard is about a woman named Gia who creates a profile on a sugar daddy dating website because she is desperate for money. She meets a man named Nathan on the website, and he offers her a lot of money if she will act like a dog for him.

This novella is dark, unsettling, surreal, and claustrophobic! The story becomes more unhinged the further you get into it!

"Shy Girl" is a nightmare that will leave you horrified. The last couple of chapters made my stomach churn, but I couldn't stop reading them! I highly recommend this novella! I gave it 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you, NetGalley and Galaxy Press, for sending me an ARC of this amazing novella! "Shy Girl" comes out 03/01/2025!

ALL THE STARS. This book rules. So many of these other reviews are totally correct - do NOT let this majestic pouty pointy flowery dog face cover fool you! This book is powerful and vicious in the BEST way, just like its bad bitch protagonist, Gia.

We are introduced to Gia in the beginning of the book and learned that she is in dire straits - worked at an accounting firm but lost her job, struggles with OCD, no familial support, 1 friend who loves her but also has her own life - Gia is desperate and facing eviction. Thinks it cant get much worse and takes a Sugar Daddy, Nathan, who wants her to act like a dog. Unsurprisingly, things devolve VERY quickly. Over several years, Gia (now called "Shy Girl" by dog fk'er Nathan), handles the torment of her new life as best she can until one day - she doesn't. The desperation and hopelessness she once felt take on a whole new meaning after years with Nathan. The discoveries Gia makes as the book progresses only serves to make her more feral and dangerous. I hated that this happened to her, but loved this growth for Gia. Clearly though, this cost her significantly emotionally and physically so that was hard to imagine her successfully coming back from.

Hands down - this was absolutely one of the most satisfying endings to a book I've ever read. So often I find myself reading about women who "take the high road" and walk away into the sunset or some shit, when they should be disemboweling the men who harmed them. I am so glad that this book showed Gia taking a big swing. It was extremely satisfying.

Also... my girl Cupcake.. how dare you. Stockholm syndrome or not. Rude.

Thank you, NetGalley and Galaxy Press for the eARC!! <3

#shygirl
#netgalley

This book was perfectly written, had my jaw dropped my the end, and couldn’t have been paced any better. .
These are the kinds of books I live for. I love the irony of the beautiful cover because this story is unapologetically insane. Bloody, violent, brutal, raw, gross, fucked up and satisfying. Wish I could read it again and forget what happens.

The author’s name did a great job explaining themes that may have gone over people’s heads. Mia has definitely made a unique path into horror fiction.

This story follows Gia, a woman looking for some quick bucks from a sugar daddy when she is presented with an opportunity that seems strange but promising and it ends up being way more than she bargained for. Mia Ballard has done it again with her beautiful writing that can make even the worst possible scenario sound poetic. She is by far my favorite writer of feminine rage stories. I was completely blown away and disgusted by the subject matter in this book. I knew I’d be devastated by the journey Gia was forced to take but it felt like a car wreck I couldn’t look away from. I’m still thinking about this book and I’m sure I will for a good while. This is a horrifying story of power imbalance, desperation and revenge best served doggy style ;))) *woof*

The cover is also absolutely gorgeous though misleading. You will find nothing cutesy about this story whatsoever.
5 stars absolutely no notes except that I will read any and every book Mia writes.

Don’t let this cute cover fool you. Check your triggers before reading!

This one started off strong and had me hooked! I loved the way it was written. It was a bleak and disturbing story of survival and feminine rage. It made you really care about and get attached to Gia as she was a very relatable character. Towards the end it kind of fell off for me and got a little too far fetched/strange. I didn’t love the direction it went, but the ending was a great good for her moment and redeemed it for me!

Review posted on Good reads, 13 Feb 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for a free arc in exchange for an honest review!

The novel follows Gia, a broke thirty year-old. Strapped for cash and newly jobless, desperation drives her to join a sugar-daddy website in search for money. She meets Nathan, who offers her money in exchange for some weird requests. As you can probably tell from the cover of the book, you can easily predict what happens.

Nathan wants Gia to engage in pet play, to pretend to be his dog and follow his commands. Then of course, everything takes a turn for the worse.

The first half of the book is giving very much Margo's Got Money Troubles combined with My Year of Rest and Relaxation. Though I imagine based on other reviews, I should give Nightbitch a try too.

The metaphor is good, relatable as a woman and of course the book keeps you rooting for Gia. It's visceral and disgusting, having me reconsider breakfast as I read, but it's brought down a lot by its predictability. It's a little funny to imagine though a man being surprised by how the events pan out.

All in all, a captivating little story, quick and easy read tinged with a thick sense of dread and fear. Would recommend it to a certain audience only!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Shy Girl follows Gia, a down-on-her-luck young woman, who finds herself in a nightmarish scenario when a potential sugar daddy traps her and forces her to perform the role of a dog. It's ROOM meets NIGHTBITCH. The escalating tension kept me engaged throughout despite the dark/heavy subject matter (tw: physical/sexual abuse, body horror). The line between Gia's perception and reality blurs as she loses herself within the role she is forced to play. A reclamation of agency results in a bloody climax. It's a coming-of-*rage* story with bite, exploring unbalanced power dynamics and how identity is impacted by traumatic experience.

This was... something.

And this was a lot. So, check out the TWs in the beginning of the book.

I'm always on the lookout for weird books. And Shy Girl definitely scratched that itch for me. This straddled the line between social commentary and full-blown fetish. It could've easily lost the plot, but the author managed to control the narrative in a very effective way.

The setup dragged a little too long for me, but I understand that as the reader, you really need to develop a relationship with the FMC, Gia, especially since this is such a visceral and intense story.

But when the ball got rolling, my god. Gia's transformation into Shy Girl was disturbing and disgusting. I was glued to the page, wondering what kind of sick torture was coming her way, while at the same time, I was rooting for her 110%. As a consumer of true crime videos on YouTube, this felt like I was experiencing several crimes being committed at once, and over and over again. It was absolutely sickening. It was never-ending.

I won't spoil the ending, but truly, from the bottom of my heart: GOOD FOR HER 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

One thing I'll add: I appreciated that the author didn't try to humanize the abuser and make excuses for him.

I'll definitely be on the lookout for Mia Ballard's future works.

Thank you to Galaxy Press and NetGalley for this arc.

Don’t let the soft, feminine cover fool you, this story is visceral, traumatic, and left me just short of wrenching at times. I loved every second of it.

Mia is a woman who obsessively thrives on order and control, so when she finds herself in a situation she cannot manage she finds herself stepping out of her comfort zone, altering her life forever.

This story is TRAUMATIC. It is raw. It will leave you bleeding all over your kindle. I absolutely ate this sh*t up. Not for the faint of heart. Read the warning page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Galaxy Press, and Mia Ballard for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a horrifying, gruesome, nightmare of a story. Power dynamics and gender, women in sex work, body horror. Don’t start this without reading the TWs.

This has to be the next viral weird girl book.

Gia has OCD and is in a depressive spiral (I can say I have never had such similar thoughts to a main character before…) and she loses her job cause her to seek a sugar baby arrangement.

This book was meant for me. It sits at the intersection of weird girl, lyrical prose, a tad extreme horror, and elements of feminine rage.

Highly highly recommend.

I know it’s a metaphor relating to trauma human women experience but it also made me think about how non-humans kept as “pets” experience similar traumas yet never gain autonomy to rise above those experiences.

Like the Author's Note says, Shy Girl is about the tangled intersection between power, control, and the resilience of women navigating impossible circumstances. While reading, I experienced a multitude of feelings, none of which I believe I can really describe. I rooted for Gia every step of the way, my rage for her situation being fueled by her rage. Do not be fooled by the cutesy cover, Shy Girl is mind-blowing, atrocious, vile, and unsettling, but in such a good way.

Tusk but make it weird girl lit fic. Absolutely unhinged and I devoured every minute of it. My sweet Shy Girl, Amy Adam’s got nothing on you.

Wow, I'm not sure how to describe Shy Girl without giving away the whole premise. I devoured this book and could barely put it down. Especially the last half of the book. The way my stomach dropped when I saw year one
The cover is deceiving if that is what you are focusing on when looking for your next read. After reading the description I was sold.
Gia is a force and reading her journey, aka one of the most terrifying things a woman could be subjected to, was empowering and enlightening (towards the end).
Abuse and isolation are talked about in a very straight forward and blunt manner. I actually enjoyed Mia's prose and I'm curious about her other writing now.
If you are in the mood for an uncomfortable read, including descriptive body horror and some toxicity, give Shy Girl a try.

Thanks to NetGalley & Galaxy Press for the early digital copy, and of course to Mia Ballard for writing this!

100/100 or 5.0 stars

This was everything I was hoping it would be and more. I loved everything. It is one of those rare cases where you want to recommend this to people, but only to people you know well enough to recommend. Otherwise, make sure to only recommend this to people who you are comfortable enough with to talk about content warnings since there are so many....so many. The writing was engaging from the beginning and I could not stop reading to find out what happened to our Shy Girl.

10/10 would recommend!

I'm honestly speechless. This has to be one of the most disturbing books I've read, and at the same time, one of the most beautifully written. The author’s writing style is incredibly unique with tons of metaphors and similes that hit hard. (I will say, though, my one complaint with this book was there were maybe TOO many metaphors and similes that the writing pattern felt repetitive at times?)

Still, I couldn’t put it down. It's rare for me to feel like I cannot stop reading, but this one had me staying up past my bedtime to finish it.

The story at its surface is super bizarre and disturbing, but the symbolism ties into themes of loneliness, desperation, hurt, abandonment, rage… you name it. It’s heavy and haunting in a way that’s hard to describe.

This one is going to stay with me.