On a bike ride up a remote mountain road, sixteen-year-old Georgia gets hit by a car. Upon waking, she finds herself on the side of the road near the dead body of a young girl named Ashley. Her life changes forever as she investigates the mystery with Ashley's older sister Nora, all while navigating the pressures of her new job at an elite resort and still dealing with the grief of losing her mother.

The newest book from "Sadie" author Courtney Summers is an unflinching, raw portrayal of the power imbalances and unfairness that make up our patriarchal society. It is a challenging read, though the developing relationship between Georgia and Nora and the connection between Georgia and her brother adds a measure of hope and lightness to an otherwise necessarily dark story. I had a few minor quibbles, but overall this is an easy 4.5 out of 5, rounded up.

I'M THE GIRL is unflinching, powerful, and impossible to put down. It is the kind of book that any girl or person who presents feminine will relate to, because so many of us have been that girl, or are that girl, and have had our power taken from us or were told to find power in ways that only hurt us in the end. Every person regardless of gender should read this and feel uncomfortable, but be unable to look away.

Every book I've read by Summers is masterful and this is no exception. It doesn't shy away from what it is saying, but creates a compelling and horrifying realistic story of the abuse and sexualization of so many young women. Georgia is so authentic and relatable, even in the way that modern society and beauty standards have affected her beliefs and thoughts of herself. Seeing her grow throughout the story is as heartbreaking as it is necessary, and while there is almost too much to go against, there is still a hopeful note at the end of the story.

The queer representation is well-done and really takes the book a step further. The chemistry and romance of Georgia and Nora was a beautiful counter to the abuse and pedophilia that the story deals with.

All in all, I'm almost speechless with how good and important this book is. I hated how much of my past self I saw in it, but that only made it better by the end to know something like this is available for teens to read and recognize the danger. It does everything it sets out to do, and in such a heartbreaking, emotional, and powerful way. I can't recommend it enough.

This is the kind of book that will stick with you long after finishing. Beautifully written, and we'll paced. I was a fan of the authors previous book Sadie. This book did not disappoint either.

Georgia has always dreamed of entering the resort community Aspera. The home of some of the wealthiest, and richest people in their local community. But what teenager wouldn't dream of such a mysterious and elegant place? Well one day on her way home, things take a horrible turn. She discovers the body of a local 13 year old girl named, Ashley James. Georgia is haunted by what happened because it could have possibly happened to her instead. Ashley's older sister, Nora, wants to discover who killed her sister, and she asks Georgia to join her. Both Georgia and Nora team up to discover the grisly truth behind what really happened. They both have to battle against the wealthy, and privelaged people of the resort community. Money and power can buy or make anything disappear. Or so the privelaged think. Can both girls discover the justice Ashley deserves? But not everything is as nice as it seems on the surface.

What I enjoyed :
- 💯 for the pacing! Immediately we are thrown into a quick paced chapter. I couldn't put it down after the first chapter
- The queer representation was wonderful. I did love the dabble of romance.
- I felt like my teen self could relate to Georgia in a lot of ways. How young girls are often treated can be horrid. But I thought she was strong, determined, and I like how she isn't afraid to dream. I also wanted to hug her and sweep her away from all the horrible people.
- There is so many layers to this story. We also have to uncover a few things from the past. I liked how that kept it interesting. But didn't distract from the main plot.
- There is quite a few twists. I thought they were well thought out.

This book was incredible, devastating, and just so well done. I know it will leave me with a massive book hangover. 4.5 stars out of 5. I am excited to read more from this author in the future. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Before I start this review, I want to say that while I’m something of a Courtney Summers super fan and was incredibly excited to dig into I’m the Girl I wouldn’t find reading books as interesting and as fun as i do if I didn’t start off every book with a clean and neutral slate.

So, that’s exactly what I did when reading I’m the Girl and it is with this clean slate that I dove straight into the poignant and impassioned world of Courtney Summers’ latest novel.

From the very start, the pages were heavy with a fog of anxiety and suspense. The young protagonist, Georgia Avis, carries the narrative in a haze brought by trauma and injury. Her point of view is unreliable and distorted, but she’s the only one we can trust. This hazy narrative that Georgia shows us, that Courtney Summers has written, is a perfect example of the way our brains work when traumatized, psychologically and physically.

Courtney Summers has always been someone who has the ability to write complete and utter reality of the everyday person — even as that person goes through the absolute worst thing they could imagine. The uniqueness and incredible thing about Summers is that while writing these every day people in these scenarios of great trauma, she recognizes that the traumas and evils in our society do not discriminate, the worst things can and do happen to anyone.

In I’m the Girl Courtney Summers perfectly illustrates how even when the elite seem — and are — otherworldly, they are not unlike those traumas and evils, they will make their mark on anyone — for better or for worse.

I was completely amazed and blown away by I’m the Girl and I have to say this will probably be my favorite book, by anyone, it’s just… incredible.

I want to thank netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved Summers’ first book, but I have to admit that her following releases have fallen a bit flat for me. I feel about I’m The Girl very similar to how I felt about The Project. The plot was meandering and a bit boring at times and the characters lacked depth and a likability needed in order to root for them. I feel that this author is trying to re-create Sadie at every turn, but the characters are falling flat when compared. The story needs to be more varied in order to escape that comparison. Slightly below average YA thriller- 2 stars.

This book will stay with me for quite some time. It has Summers' usual gritty style and does not hold back punches. It's hard to read. It has a million trigger warnings and some really really unlikeable characters. I thought most of it, sadly, was believable. The only thing that really bothered me was how determined the main character was to put being beautiful and wanted over everything else, including her own safety. At some point, I just couldn't believe the choices she was making.

with gratitude to netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

At its core this book is about how hard it is to be a young girl. Living under the constant weight of unrealistic and harmful expectations and in a world where enough hasn’t been done to keep them safe.

Courtney Summers brilliantly creates a captivating, thought provoking, thrilling and disturbing story that’s both hard to read but feels too important and relevant to put down.

I think one of two things will happen when people read this: 1) they’ll appreciate the nuance and skill it takes to tell a story like this without glorifying or minimizing how true to life these issues are; or 2) they’ll misunderstand, ignore or disagree with those things and (in a figurative sense) perpetuate the systems and behaviors that allow predatory behaviors to flourish.

I loved this book — it’s going to stick with me for a long time.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for approving my arc request.

Confession: I’ve never read a Courtney Summers book that I didn’t fan girl over. When I caught my first glance of I’m The Girl, I knew I had to have her…I mean it. After reading it, I have to say that my record with Courtney Summers remains unchallenged.
Aspera! It’s a lure, a promise, a curse. Aspera is a private retreat for the ultra-wealthy who are in search of privacy and a discreet place they can indulge in their most secret pursuits. For the locals though, Aspera is an opportunity to earn a good wage—especially for those elite chosen to be Aspera girls.
Georgia is drawn to Aspera despite her mother’s bad experience as a housekeeper there. One day, feeling the pull of Aspera, Georgia finds herself walking through a field toward the resort and comes across the body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James. The young girl was brutally raped and killed. Before Georgia can do anything, she’s hit by a car—was it the murderer?—and is left with injuries and large gaps in her memory. Soon she finds herself under the scrutiny of Ashley James’s sister and father (the local law enforcement) who both want answers about what she saw and who may have been responsible for the murder.
George also finds herself taken under the wing of Chloe and Matthew Hayes—the owners of Aspera. With a new job at Aspera, and new relationships that she never imagined, Georgia finds it harder to determine is a friend and who is a threat.
Courtney Summers has done it again. I’m The Girl is one of those dark, sad, soul-wrenching stories that you can’t put down. The pace is fast, and the danger palpable on every page. You’ll be suspicions of every character until the final, very satisfying, reveal.
I’m The Girl is scheduled to be released September 13, 2022.

*I received an ARC of I’m The Girl from Netgalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review*

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm the Girl was so freaking good. Seriously, I couldn't put it down once. From the very first page, I was completely hooked and wanted to know more about Aspera. Then I instantly regretted asking for that because I can't unsee what I've read now.

In this, you will meet Georgia. Now she wants to be a privileged Asperan girl due to her mother's dying wish. She wants to feel things like love, adoration, and everything in between. So, it's a bit strange how she ends up getting into Aspera. Mostly because of what she finds before she wakes up in a strange new place.

Now there's tons of secrets lurking throughout Aspera. Seriously, my mind was blown no matter the size of the secret. So many to keep track of and so many to cringe at. But first, we have a murder to solve. Which, yes, we eventually get down to what happened but so many things have to happen first.

The romance, the mystery, and cringe-worthy moments made this a page turner. I was honestly suspicious of the Hayeses after we first met them. I hated how they used and abused Georgia. So, I was really happy when Nora came into the picture because it felt like Georgia was finally going to figure out what true love is. Or just love in general because she's not getting that in Aspera.

In the end, the truth comes out and I was in complete shock. I'm so happy we finally got the big reveals towards the end of the book. I'm also really happy that Georgia is away from that place and those horrible people. So happy that I got the chance to jump into this and can't wait for Courtney's next mystery thriller to fall into my lap.

aaaaaaaa

Per usj I love Courtney Summers's really sharp look at misogyny and rape culture and it was a new kind of wrenching to have a character here who hadn't yet learned about all the unfortunate ways the world works. Reading this had a horror movie kind of vibe where you're sitting there like "nooo don't go in there!!!" and then she totally goes in there!!! aaaa

Courtney Summers never fails to deliver an engaging story, with characters that will break your heart and have you breathless in worry for them. A dark story of the ways in which men view and use underage girls, this book was fast paced and utterly devastating as it uncovered the myriad of ways young girls are raised to want to become a man’s vision.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the eARC, these opinions are my own. I really enjoyed this book! I love a good mystery with lots of intrigue and this book had plenty! I enjoyed that it was fast paced, full of twists and turns, and kept me guessing! I enjoyed Georgia very much! Loved the ending! I couldn’t put it down and highly recommend it to mystery readers!

4/5 stars

Courtney Summers does it again in artfully creating a gripping and discomforting thriller novel that had me reeling while reading. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride from the beginning to the end.

I’m The Girl takes the cake in how uneasy of a novel it was compared to Summers' other novels. The entire novel had an incredibly eerie atmosphere that had me suspicious of almost everyone, other than George’ brother Tyler and her new friend Nora. Majority of these other characters were older and rich white men, powerful enough to make their problems disappear, so you can understand my suspicion.

Corruption and power is a theme the novel deeply delves into. Georgia knows what it’s like to have little in life - with her mother gone, her older brother has to provide for her and spends most of his life working - and wants so much more. She wants to be appreciated, and the place she thinks she can achieve that goal is working at Aspera - unfortunately for her, Aspera is not what it seems, and has links to the murder of Ashley James.

There were so many clues to Ashley's murder, and I felt so hopeless reading on as Georgia would sometimes overlook them as she focused on her own dream of making it. It was understandable, she was a teenage girl who wanted to make a life for herself, and made me so scared for her wellbeing, as well as adding to the tension in the novel.

It was overall a wonderful thriller novel, and I can't wait to read more of Summers' works.

This is my first book from Courtney Summers, her other books are of course on my tbr but Netgalley’s always take priority these days. And ohhhh my god, this was incredible! This completely had me hooked, it was such a gripping and honestly addicting read. I almost read it in one sitting I just couldn’t put it down. I never thought I was a fan of thrillers, but maybe because I couldn’t find the right ones, because this one is TOP TIER WORTHY!!

This mystery is vague and strangely paced with a rushed ending. Georgia has always wanted to be an Aspera girl, one of the elite hostesses that serves at the local resort for the very very wealthy. After Georgia stumbles upon the body of a local murdered girl, a series of events unfolds that gets her through the gates. It's obvious to the reader but not Georgia that this beatiful place covers something dark...but the exact details of the darkness never really get exposed and there is no satisfying ending for anyone.

I was so excited to read I’m the girl and I really wished it would have worked out for me. I am not entirely sure if it was the formatting of the book or what but I was confused for a good portion of what I read. Unfortunately, I DNFd it at like 15%

4/5 Stars!

This review is Spoiler Free.

This thriller was powerful, gut-wrenchingly hard to read, and so brilliantly executed. I'm The Girl was my first book by Courtney Summers, and I see what all the hype is about now! Excited to dive into her backlist.

When Georgia finds the dead body of a 13 year old girl and is hit by a car, everything changes.
Georgia's mother had always cautioned her about the Aspera club, telling her she wasn't good enough to be an Apera Girl there. But Georgia wants to prove herself, against the wishes of her brother, and finds herself embroiled in the culture of the resort. Nora James, the sister of Ashley, the murdered girl, seeks Georgia out, and together they try to figure out what could have happened.

This book was uncomfortable and hard to read. It was written so well, and the messages are extremely important. However readers should be cautioned that this book contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault. I honestly forgot several times that this book is categorized as young adult because the content was so graphic, so please use discretion in reading. The contents, while gratuitous, are definitely necessary to the story and the overall message examined by the book.

I absolutely recommend I'm The Girl, and look forward to reading more by Courtney Summers!

*I received an ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and views in this review are my own.

I have devoured and loved every single book Courtney Summers has written. She absolutely does not disappoint. Her writing is raw and bleak she beautiful and her ability to write about hard women/girls who are "bitches" or "hard to love" but you root for and DO love, because that is the point... Is bar none. She is THE "sexual assault -victim- taking the power back but also not always fully winning in doing so" advocate and I love her for it. I'm the girl floored me just as much as all her other books have. I will always always read and recommend her books. Always amazing, always heartrending.

I loved Sadie and hoped this would be just as good. I was really let down. I feel like the book had way too many plot holes and struggled to really choose a theme. I'll post a longer review later once I compose my thoughts a bit more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It hooked me from the very first chapter, and kept me hooked the entire time!