Gia is feeling lonely, financially strained, and severely depressed. She is unemployed and facing eviction from her apartment. Desperate for a way out, Gia decides to sign up for a sugar daddy website. There, she meets Nathan, who has an unconventional proposal: he wants her to be his pet.

This book will definitely make you think twice about signing up for a sugar daddy website. I originally requested it based on the beautiful cover, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the story. The plot feels unique and is truly entertaining. I'm typically hard to gross out, but this book managed to do the trick. I don’t believe the inclusion of OCD was a significant aspect of the story, at least not enough to warrant being mentioned in the blurb. I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to review this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and Galaxy Press for the ARC of this book! Literally after page 1, I was hooked. This book was right up my alley - creepy, weird, intense, emotional, gag-worthy (my stomach was literally churning at parts). I loved this book. If the horror and "good for her" genres had a baby...this book would be it! I was rooting for Gia the entire time, through her good and bad decisions! I will absolutely be recommending this book every chance I get! An easy 5 stars!

If you see this review...this is your sign...read it!



(My review has been posted to Goodreads and to Storygraph as of today.)

I’ve read some incredibly unhinged books in the last few years - books I don’t typically recommend unless I’m sure that reader won’t unfriend me 😆, well Mia Ballard’s SHY GIRL is now on That list 😮

Thanks to @netgalley and @galaxy_press and the author @galaxygrlmia for this fantastic arc opportunity. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone looking for something that will shock & amaze you.

This book is for the 'looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you' girlies. Do not be deceived by the cutesy cover, this is feminine, primal, RAGE at its best.

Gia has OCD, she is depressed and broke. As a way to make an income, she joins a sugar dating site and meets the mysterious and affluent Nathan. All Gia wants is a sugar daddy to help her make ends meet. All Nathan wants is a pet dog.
As Gia's internal fight response manifests itself, we are shown a personal journey of strength, survival and hope. Mia Ballard's representation of Gia's mental and physical state throughout this novel is almost... therapeutic? I've seen many people relate this to Nightbitch [Rachel Yoder], but I feel it is actually The Vegetarian's [Han Kang] younger, CRAZIER sister. Both are about the extremes a woman will go to in order to fight for her mind, identity and body. Ballard has written the ultimate horror depiction of the power dynamic between man and woman, all wrapped up in a pretty cover and I am HERE for it. Please check the trigger warnings - this book is not for the faint hearted.

This story is quite a lot to unpack. It is vile and romantic all at the same time. I have not read anything quite like this before. It is beautifully written. One of the better revenge stories out there. However, the ending was so abrupt and quick, but it somehow worked. This is definitely a story that will stick with you for years.

#NetGalley #ShyGirl

Gia turns to a sugar dating website to deal with financial troubles and meets Nathan. Nathan offers a deal to erase her debt if she acts as his pet.

This one is so wild! I was not expecting it to get as dark and crazy as it did, but I was there for it. I read it in one day and just devoured it. It is a very fast read especially once the captivity begins.

“I have a problem with men. I am either obsessed with them, or I want nothing to do with them at all, depending on the state of my life at the moment.”

Shy Girl comes out 3/1.

oooooOOooooooooOO we all know i love weird girl lit. horror mixed in? absolutely yes.

shy girl was one of the most unsettling books i’ve read in a while. to summmmmarizeeeeee, gia is broke, desperate, and running out of options when she meets nathan, a sugar daddy who, of course, requests that she be his pet. what starts as a transactional relationship quickly becomes something much darker. it gives nightbitch vibe, but imo? better.

this book is deeply disturbing in the best way. mia ballard forces you to sit in the horror with gia and you feel every second of it. it is not an easy read but it is absolutely worth it. if you love psychological horror that makes you feel something, if you’re craving rage, nausea, or despair, this is your girl.

I am a Mia Ballard stan at this point. I’d read a phone by her. While this isn’t my favorite out of her current releases it still solidifies she’s one of my favorite authors. Daring to go into territory where others won’t and striking hearts down to the core.

Mia Ballard’s Shy Girl is a tender, introspective novel that delicately explores themes of identity, self-acceptance, and the quiet power of finding one’s voice. With a narrative that is both intimate and deeply resonant, Ballard crafts a story that feels as much like a whispered confession as it does a journey of self-discovery.

The novel shines in its portrayal of the protagonist—a young woman navigating the complexities of social anxiety, relationships, and the desire to be understood. Ballard’s writing is subtle yet poignant, capturing the small but significant moments that define personal growth. Every interaction, every hesitation, and every fleeting thought feels authentic, making Shy Girl a novel that speaks to anyone who has ever felt out of place in their own skin.

What sets this book apart is its quiet strength. Instead of relying on grand, dramatic twists, Ballard allows the story to unfold naturally, focusing on the emotional landscape of her characters. The result is a deeply empathetic and immersive experience that lingers long after the final page.

If there’s one drawback, it’s that Shy Girl moves at a gentle, unhurried pace. Some readers may wish for a bit more external conflict or resolution, but for those who appreciate introspective storytelling, the novel’s quiet intensity is its greatest strength.

With its beautifully drawn characters and heartfelt prose, Shy Girl is a moving exploration of vulnerability and the courage it takes to step into the world. Mia Ballard has crafted a novel that is as soft-spoken as its protagonist—but just as unforgettable.

“I chose the man who wanted not who I was, but who I could become.”

Mia is 100% an autobuy author for me now. This was visceral, raw, and salted deep into the wounds of powerlessness.

This is a messed up, gory take on the lengths people will go when met with impossible circumstances (intentionally and unintentionally ). The majority of this story is Gia’s captivity, but it’s rooted in her resilience and how she reclaims herself.

The imagery and emotional expression in this was insane. There are parts of this book that will live rent free in my head forever. When I was finished, I had to sit and stare at the wall for a minute. Reorient myself to reality!!

“This is who I am now. A pet. A shape carved by someone else’s hands, a thing devoured piece by piece, until there is nothing left but obedience, the quiet, and the hurt. Until hurt is all that remains.”

It was sad, it was bleak, it was bad ass, and I loved every minute.

I would suggest this to anyone that likes weird girl litfic with a healthy dose of horror.

Like everyone has said before, don’t let the cute cover fool you… please check the trigger warnings and always read horror responsibly

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Galaxy Press, and Mia Ballard for the copy to review! I am so grateful for the opportunity!

*slight spoilers ahead*

A lot of contemporary horror falls into the trap of high-academia/navel-gazing - I hesitate to say, especially feminist horror. But holy shit. Shy Girl is so refreshingly terrifying both in the actual text on the page, but also in the plague of cruelty directed at women, and the trap of manipulation, that it highlights. Nathan is an amalgamation of the men who seek an obedient pet, not a partner, and see women as beneath them in all ways that matter. (Also demonstrated by his apparent gaggle of viewers.). Gia's nuance and compulsions and eventual transformations also align in a way that allows us, the reader, to understand Ballard's message while still cringing in disgust at what takes place on the page.

This was a practically flawless read to me until the reappearance of Cupcake at the end, with the kind of on-the-nose "I killed your rapist" scene. While I understand why it was included, I don't think it added to an otherwise really fucking incredible book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I am obsessed!!! This book was so insanely wild and good I've never read anything quite like that. I will think about Gias story for a long time for sure and will not stop recommending this book. Need to read her other books asap.

Shy Girl has a gorgeous cover; a beautiful exterior containing a horrific story inside.

Gia is in dire financial trouble; recently unemployed and helplessly watching the debts pile up and the bills go unpaid. She turns to an online sugar daddy forum to keep her from losing her apartment, and quickly meets a man who has a specific request. She agrees, and this request quickly spirals out of control as Gia is forced to watch her humanity slip away.

Sick and shocking, I could not look away from this one. It’s been a long time since a book made me feel physically ill, but this book manages it several times! Horrifying, “weird girl”, feminine rage lit turned up to full volume. The things that Gia goes through will be forever stuck in my head whether I want them to or not! If you liked Tender is the Flesh, I think this book is right up your alley. Woof!

Thank you NetGalley and Galaxy Press for the ARC!

An unraveling 30-something, with glimpses of how we got here and internal dialogue, Gia told in first person follows a routine of job search, overdue rents, and nightly cries. The only solution: a sugar daddy and a… fetish? Go into this one blind.

Gia’s beginning is a sad tale, with glimpses of some depression, post traumatic stress, and some OCD that doesn’t get really explored once the horror truly begins. The author does include trigger warnings at the beginning, which I appreciate and thought was the best. The thought of treating dating as survival, felt pretty realistic and the appreciation I had for the quick turn of what she was really looking for in a date. I loved it. What this novel grows to, is unexpected and shows the things people will do when lead by desperation.

This is a good read for a novella, if you enjoy self reflection and a detailed journey of it. The darkness that can come from your lowest points and just looking for that glimmer of hope and the spiral that can take you over. This story packs so much into so little and is a hard read- don’t let that cover fool you; this is creepy and disturbing. Splatter punk type horror readers only.

Gia needs stability. More than that, actually, she needs a way to cover this month's rent...and all the months after that. With no path to security in plain sight for the foreseeable future, Gia registers for a Sugar Daddy dating website in the hopes of finding the no strings attached, transactional relationship that'll see her through.

Enter Nathan: older, but not too old. Forward, but not too forward. On a whim, Gia meets Nathan at a public place and lays out her financial need. Somewhat convinced Nathan isn't a sociopathic serial killer, she agrees to return to his place. And it turns out, Gia's right: Nathan's not a serial killer.

Unfortunately, he's a lot worse than that.

Oh, how to summarize "Shy Girl" in a way that doesn't deter readers from it, but at the same time adequately captures the visceral, horrifying darkness that is this book. Take notes, readers, that this is a book you absolutely cannot judge by the cover: it's so far from pretty pastel, sad-girl fiction that we might even say it's "Nightbitch" (on a metaphoric level) and "The Substance" (on a body horror level) put together. To spoil the jaw-dropping direction that "Shy Girl" goes in is to spoil it's real power; it's not a perfect book by any means, but at it's best parts it was compelling, and at its weakest parts it was a literary car accident that was impossible to stop reading because of shock factor alone.

Proceed at your own risk ladies, and know that when all is said and done with "Shy Girl," you'll close the cover and say "Good for her."

Oh. My. God.

I was obsessed with this book from the moment I picked it up. I devoured it as fast as I could!
I LOVE feminine rage horror novels, they are probably one of my favorite niche genres. This book hit everything that I wanted out of a horror novel.

Mia Ballard has quickly become one of my favorite authors EVER. If she writes it, I will read it.

Please read through the content warnings before reading this book. This book is heavy and gory, make sure you are prepared before you start.

Thank you to NetGalley and Galaxy Press for an eARC of this book!

What started out gently enough, turned into possibly the most unhinged piece of writing I've ever encountered. Something this dark shouldn't be this easy to read (well.. most of it at least), but Mia Ballard's exquisite writing helps it go down smoothly. Her writing evokes the emotion and desperation the main character, Gia, is feeling first from her financial crisis, and then from the new situation she finds herself in as Nathan's pet. This story centers around obsession, loss of control, and the torment of getting control back. It will make you say WTF more than once, and then when it takes a turn, you'll never see it coming until just before it happens. None of it is for the faint of heart, but the twist will be way too much for some.

This was an intense, unwell, weirdo piece of lit fic, and while I felt pulled into the story really quickly, I do have to say that parts of the writing felt a bit rushed. Some of the descriptions felt a little repetitive at times, but it didn't feel like it was done intentionally. I'm really excited to see what else Mia Ballard does in the future though, because while her writing is dark, I think her future is bright.

Thank you to NetGalley, Galaxy Press, and Mia Ballard for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication!

I had a boyfriend once that physically recoiled when I told him Gone Girl was one of my favourite books/movies. I can still see the horror on his face, and still remember the arguing that followed. I wonder what he’d think if he knew I loved this.
I devoured this with a grim desperation, and felt it all over my body: I felt sick, I felt seen, and observed, but overall elated. I could compare it to Nightbitch but it would be a disservice, as that story is nowhere near this. In fact, this is exactly and more what I hoped Nightbitch would be. A fairer comparison would maybe be Ethel Cain’s Preacher’s Daughter.
In short, please read the author’s warning at the beginning and proceed with caution, care, possibly a strong drink and definitely an open heart.
Mia Ballard, I love you. Netgalley and Galaxy Press, thank you for allowing me the pleasure of reading this. Woof.
“And I wonder late at night (…): Who did he want in the first place? A girl pretending to be a dog? Or a dog pretending to be a girl?
And I wonder which one I am.”

New addition to the “Good for Her” canon!

Shy Girl is a story about how trauma changes us and the power of resilience in the face of adversity. Specially as women in this world that often isn’t kind to us.

As horrific as Gia’s circumstances were, there’s some stuff she goes through that I’m glad the author didn’t go into too much detail on, as I believe it would come across as exploitative. You can tell Ballard had so much care for her character while writing this book.

That being said, do not take the trigger warnings lightly! I hadn’t physically recoiled from reading a book in so long. Sometimes it was hard to read but it was also hard for me to look away. It was very cathartic.

My only other thoughts have to do with the transformation aspect. I probably would’ve enjoyed seeing more of it.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book and Mia Ballard has gained a new fan.

You would also enjoy this if you like your horror to be very bloody and grotesque; and if you like stories about women taking back the power that was stolen from them.

Make sure to check the content warnings before reading! The cover is very cute, and this was not a lighthearted read at all.

Very vague summary: this is a strange book with fantastical elements, about female rage.

At times, it can be hard to read (specifically if you’re squeamish like me!) and hard to put down. The prose is simple enough paired with moderate pacing to keep you intrigued.
I couldn’t tell what was going to happen, occasionally having to shake my head like an etch-a-sketch to erase images from my mind.

My only major nit-pick was the ending could have been better executed, however, I understand the point that was being made.

Are you looking for something psychologically messed up and all together grotesque to live in your brain and resurface sporadically through the day? This might be for you!