Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

 

Title: Some Girls Are
Author: Courtney Summers
Release Date: January 5, 2010 (paperback)
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 256
Source: Bought
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Climbing to the top of the social ladder is hard--falling from it is even harder.  Regina Afton used to be a member of the Fearsome Fivesome, an all-girl clique both feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High... until vicious rumors about her and her best friend's boyfriend start going around.  Now Regina's been "frozen out" and her ex-best friends are out for revenge.  If Regina was guilty, it would be one thing, but the rumors are far from the terrifying truth and the bullying is getting more intense by the day.  She takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit with a tragic past who she herself used to bully.  Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be more than just a friend... if threats from the Fearsome Foursome don't break them both first.

Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year march toward an explosive conclusion in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be. goodreads

I thought that the book had such honesty in it and the characters were compelling. I think it is a very relatable tale, because most people can relate to bullying in high school whether they were the victims or the victimisers. It isn’t very original in the sense of bulling as it is a subject matter almost overdone. However, it was a completely different spin, with the victimiser becoming the victim. A friend of mine was recently completely excluded from her friends and they turned against her, leaving her feeling pretty broken. Friends have the power to break us the most, and this book does show how the people you trust the most can so quickly dismiss you.

Regina, the main character, isn't someone you feel you should like, because she was such a bully, but I grew very attached to her throughout the novel. Summers makes it very clear that when it comes to bullying things aren’t always black and white. Under the surface things are very different to the surface. Michael was a real sweetheart. He taught me a lot about second chances, and though it is not easy to do, sometimes it needs to be done. The hints of romance throughout the novel were a nice break away from the horror that is high school.

The book was difficult to read at times however completely captivated me. I read it in one sitting, and that is something I rarely do. It really demonstrates the way teenage girls can be and what some will do for popularity. The message is extremely powerful and I became a lot more aware of the repercussions of my actions. I highly recommend it.

5 out of 5