Some Girls Are

by Courtney Summers

From Courtney Summers, the author of Cracked Up To Be, comes a dark new tale of high school rivalry in which vicious rumors and nasty tricks are the currency that buys you popularity or seals your fate at the bottom of the food chain.

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.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, High School, Young Adult Contemporary

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2010

About the author

COURTNEY SUMMERS is an uncompromising writer¹ known for a history of risky artistic choices² and pushing boundaries³ with novels that are not for the faint of heart.⁴ She has received over 20 starred reviews and numerous awards and honors, including the Edgar and ITW Thriller Awards.

¹ Quill & Quire ² Kirkus Reviews
³ Shelf Awareness ⁴ The New York Times

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Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll get the small amount of negative out of the way first. This book was faultless right up until the very last minute where I felt the ending was pulled together too quickly and just ended up being a weak conclusion to a deeply emotional and, at times, horrifying novel. It's the only bad thing I have to say about this book and I was still left feeling certain that I would read Cracked Up to Be and Fall for Anything.

The story reminded me a lot of Speak. Both novels were extremely well-written with characters you could relate to and believe in; and they also both dealt with false accusations and the ostracisation of a girl by her friends and high school classmates. What was different was that where the protagonist of Speak was largely ignored, Regina from this book was completely destroyed by a series of horrendous physical and mental attacks by those she had previously considered friends.

It was a much more dramatic story than Speak. I was unable to stop reading; I cared so deeply about Regina and what the outcome of all this bullying would be for her. I also adored Michael. I didn't foresee him becoming such a lovable character but he continually surprised me.

I don't know whether this book is a particularly accurate representation of relationships and fall-outs in high school... I had some awful experiences with bullying but I can honestly say I don't ever recall there being anything of this calibre. Then again, maybe I chose not to see this kind of thing. Either way, the book was so full of raw emotion and sadness and forgiveness. It's about the importance of learning to say sorry. Don't mistake this for another cheesy high school drama - it is so so much more!

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[Kristin (KC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 Stars*

I need a Tum.

Because that was some serious high school insanity.

Some Girls Are…mean, and genuinely effed up—and this story is a solid testament to that. But it’s also a very realistic portrayal of the ugly side of high school, and, more specifically, the vicious cycle of bullying.

I’m gonna go ahead and five-star this book for the simple reason that I could NOT put it down. The GENIUS writing style is what made this one shine, for me: compelling and raw, edgy and intense--I swallowed it up whole.

Hallowell High: You're either someone or your not.

Meet Regina: A popular high school senior whose social status entirely plummets after only a single party. Regina goes from bully to bullied overnight, as she finds herself walking the footsteps of those she’s hurt in the past…

And it’s a living nightmare.



Regina’s pain was so palpable, I could literally taste the bitterness that was spewed upon her, and feel the sharp sting of rejection from her peers. Her character was flawed, and there were many times I didn't like her.

But she was also afraid … so afraid, she allowed the opinions of others to define her.

I really felt for Regina, and I appreciated the fact that her character didn't improve within a chapter or two, but instead evolved at a slow, believable pace. I still wouldn't say she’s “cured” from all her demons, and that’s what brought this story to life … the fact that its occurrences mimicked “life”, and tended to stray from the typical fictional YA-formula.

It’s not very often an author can throw out terms such as “we’re the kind of popular that makes our peers unable to sleep at night” , and not elicit a dramatic eye roll...

BUT, this story is written in such a way where you can tell the author gets it. She knows how ridiculous and dangerous this behavior is, and yet she makes no excuses. She’s not afraid to embarrass her heroine; not hesitant to put her in the wrong. It never felt like we were getting a “prettied” up version for the sake of a morally-sound story. We don’t have to admire this narrator, but we’re damn sure gonna get a realistic portrayal of her shortcomings…and I really loved that.

He came here quiet — not shy, but removed, above it all. Like he just didn't care about us.

The romance in this story is gentle and young, but its value touched me. Michael is a lonely outcast who has been thoroughly drenched in false accusations. He hates the girl who sparked these lies—Regina. But as these two form an unlikely relationship, Regina finds there’s a lot to learn about herself in the process.

In high school, you don’t get to change. You only get to walk variations of the same lines everyone has already drawn for you.

I can see why some readers may have been left unsatisfied with this story’s ending, but I thought it was perfect! I’m a strong believer in less-is-more, and I find that an overkill ending tends to weaken the story’s power.

In this case, I was given enough finality to feel the story was complete, but was still left to wonder about the characters a little--and that’s what keeps me in their world.

A captivating read!

Book Stats:
▪  Genre/Category: Young Adult
▪ Romance: Young, complicated love
▪  Characters: Came to life. Flawed and unpredictable.
▪  Plot: Bully turns to *bullied* overnight and experiences a harsh reality.
▪ Writing: Phenomenal. Polished. Realistic dialogue.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Heroine
▪  Cliffhanger: None. Standalone

[L A i N E Y (will be back) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If I have to live with this, I don’t want it to be hard.”

I wonder if you look up synonyms for ‘poignant’ you’d find the name Courtney Summers in there? Because it should be.

The ability to succinctly convey this much complex struggles, this overflowing of emotions in the span of less than 300 pages is the very definition of poignant if you ask me. What is even more stunning is that she keeps doing it book after book after book, unfailingly. With such ease.

If she was a journalist she would be one of those hard-hitting, take-no-prisoners journos who doesn’t shy away from tackling the issues head on.

“I push myself up on my elbows, my knees. Stand. Stand, Regina. It’s easy. Stand. You do it everyday.”

Her characters are an acquired taste you might say. She writes in-your-face heroines and she unflinchingly handles girls’ issues. She makes those who love perfect snowflake characters need to avert their eyes.

It’s a ‘mean girls’ story, yes. But not in the ordinary way. This one is complex to say the least. The perspectives, the past devastations and the repercussions from them. Not to mention the attempted rapes. Yes rapesss as in plural. And the mental breakdown and the overwhelming anxiety of it all.

You truly need certain level of toughness to finish the book. That’s not a warning or anything it’s just a fact. There’re triggers left and right.

“A whole world exists outside of this hellhole.”

To all Reginas, Michaels and Lizes out there - please stay strong. We are all rooting for you.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

As seen on The Readventurer

What a mean, ugly, venomous, relentlessly cruel book this is! I almost developed some ulcer myself just by being in the main character's head.

The "mean girls" novels are not something that interests me very much in YA lit. Ever since Before I Fall I feel mildly dissatisfied in how such stories generally unfold. In Before I Fall, for instance, I thought there was a lot of humanizing and excusing of mean girls going on, with not enough of owning up to their actions and atoning. Some Girls Are is more pleasing in that respect.

Regina, one of the school's meanest mean girls, ends up to be the target of her friends' (or frenemies') wrath and finally tastes her own medicine. The treatment of her is vile, but hey, who cares, she was distributing the same sort of punishments just a few days ago. She deserves everything that's coming her way, right?

Hm, maybe. I won't lie, seeing an ex-mean girl suffer was pretty awesome. At first. But once you get to know Regina a little better, you can't help to feel horrified for her. And it's not only about the abuse (the beatings, humiliation, almost rapes) - she gives back almost as much of it as she takes. It's more about her inner world. Her mind, constantly fixated on fighting back, on guilt, on memories of being a part of a group of so-called friends who can squash you in minutes, on pressures of always hating and being hated. It's an awful way to think. It's a damaging way to live.

I can't say I enjoyed this novel. You can't enjoy a punch to your gut that this book is. But I did appreciate it. I appreciated that this novel doesn't make excuses for Regina and forces readers to forgive her. There are some things in life that can't be easily forgotten and fixed with an I am sorry. But something more important happens here - a mean girl breaks out of the circle of hate and violence and maybe becomes a slightly more aware person. She has to continue carrying the burden of her past actions though. No easy fixes here.

[Rashi · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd read: 4(Feb 2023)⭐
1st read: 5⭐(Feb 2021)
Some books make you happy, some make you cry, some leave you untouched, some teach you a life lesson and then there are those books. Those books that make you laugh and cry, they make you so emotional that you get drained of all emotions, they teach you a life lesson and they leave you wanting for more.
This is one of those books. It leaves you confused and torn, it makes you like an unlikeable protagonist.


Regina Afton had it all, then she had nothing.
She was not the bullied, the kind, the loving, the underdog-who-comes-out-on-top, the shunned or the caring one. She was the bully, the mean one, the villain of every YA contemporary. She deserved bad things, but not what happened, no one deserves that. The aftermath maybe, but not the thing itself. Yet when she went through the aftermath, I felt no satisfaction about it happening.
Regina underwent subtle changes throughout the book. Only you don't realise that she's a different person than she was in the beginning of the book until the book ends.


I could relate to her because you don't need to be a bully or a bad person to be able to relate to such a fleshed out character, such a real character. Everybody goes through atleast one of the things she went through, which is the sad truth.

And Courtney Summers accomplishes making that happen over and over again. She makes you fall in love with and relate to the most problematic of characters repeatedly.


When an author manages to do that in more than one book you know that you're going to have a long standing and happy relationship with her books, as is the case with Courtney Summers.
I can't recommend her books enough.

If you haven't read her books yet you should be reading them right now.

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[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/



“We’re the kind of popular that parents like to pretend doesn’t exist so they can sleep at night, and we’re the kind of popular that makes our peers unable to sleep at night. Everyone hates us, but they’re afraid of us too.”

Regina George has always been a member of the “Fearsome Fivesome.” She and her besties rule the school under the watchful eye of the resident queen bee, Rizzo Anna . . .



They have spent their high school years torturing not only the unfortunate uncool, but also their own kind . . .



When rumors start circulating about Regina sexing up Anna’s boyfriend at a kegger, Regina finds herself on the outs. BIG TIME . . .



This book scared the crap out of me. It seemed so . . . possible. There’s no doubt in my mind that bullying to this extreme happens in real life all of the time, and there are constantly reports of the powers-that-be overlooking all warning signs (like someone painting “WHORE” across a locker), or downplaying the severity of the potential outcome. I was almost sure this book was going to end one of two ways. Either this . . .



or this . . .



I mean, what other choice does a person who is ridiculed all day every day really have? And the scariest part is? When girls grow up into women and think they’ve left all the drama of high school behind them, they will confront these same nasty ass bitches time and time again . . .



It’s time to stop. Stop letting your daughters hate on other girls. Stop doing it yourself. Stop blaming everything on someone else and actually do something to make a change. Just stop.

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

some folks...

this was my first book for the readventurer challenge. this was catie's recommendation for me, and i really liked it - yay! i had just finished reading This is Not a Test, so i was glad to read another book by this author, even though this was more of a realistic YA book, and i tend to skew to the dystopian/horror side of the YA field.

this book is about a girl named regina who is nearly raped by her best friend/queen bee anna's boyfriend at a party. they are both part of a super-toxic clique at the school, untouchably popular, who go out of their way to destroy the lives of others. because anna is so unstable, regina does not mention the assault, but rumors get out, and she finds herself ostracized and forced into a climate of bullying and intimidation tactics that would do credit to a dictator of a small country.

bullying is still a serious problem in the high school environment (and here on goodreads - come on girls - you should love every book unconditionally! think of teh authors!!) and this is one of those important books that show that no one is immune to the terror that bored and clever teenage girls can inflict.

it is not a fun read, there will be plenty of wincing, but is a really good book to slap into the hands of a teenager. actions have consequences. maybe not right away, but teen girls are fickle, and anyone can be made a target at any point.

these are the hard-partying kids; Jeanette lurches up from out of nowhere looking like a guaranteed good time. Strung out. I can never tell when she's over the party; the party's usually all over her. some people have pointed out that their behavior stretches belief, but i disagree. this sounds exactly like the parties of my high school experience, even though i went to very few. i didn't drink and i didn't drive, and i preferred hosting smaller, more intimate, ummm plant-based gatherings in the safety of my own home, where i could control the atmosphere and the music and could be the good hostess with the making of english-muffin pizzas and whatnot. no one ever threw up at one of my parties. this makes me either a successful or grossly unsuccessful hostess, depending on your priorities.but these kids are drinking heavily and popping pills, and coming out of their haze just long enough to torture each other with the dirt they have acquired , or fabricated, on each other.

the only thing i didn't like were the seeming inconsistencies of regina's character. i mean, i know that that age is a period of transitions, i'm a boy and i'm a man (yeah, i can quote pre-1980 alice cooper lyrics until the cows come home - try me) but it still bothered me. while i understand how a young girl could be lured into the popular crowd, and once there, could be compelled to perform acts of cruelty with the mob mentality and all that, it is the rest of it that bothers me. she seems to have two sides to her: the side that is incredibly scared and passive, and just takes her punishment, and the side of her that rebels and lashes out with all the creative cruelty she has learned at the hands of anna, who is a true redheaded sociopath. and she wobbles between these two impulses, which makes her character unpredictable, and therefore difficult to sympathize with or get behind. her latent violence is pretty terrifying - this girl could snap at any second.

a quick psa that will probably come back to haunt me: what happened to her at the party, the thing that set off the chain of events, was bad, but not the worst. a little self-defense? maybe carry a knife? a knife you know how to use - don't go into this all fumbly. all i know is that a knife saved me from a similar situation when i was 17.just - be smart, ladies. no one's going to come to your rescue except you.

things that strain my belief:



1) really? anna slept through all of that?? you would think a girl so careful of guarding her alpha reputation would never get that wasted - too wasted to lose control which shows a weakness a character like her never would.

2) if you have the bruises, show the bruises. show everyone. the way she caves in the bathroom because anna is pissed is weird. it isn't just anna. there were the lesser-members of the group: marta, jeanette, bruce, henry. and josh. especially josh. what good is a boyfriend if he can't be counted on to kick the ass of the dude that tried to rape you? i understand that regina thought anna would be pissed if she thought she had slept with donnie, but those bruises and a torn skirt do not look like consensual sex. regina seems to have this convenient-for-the-narrative disappearing and reappearing backbone. you walk off in the middle of telling your (ex)boyfriend because he takes a phone call? it's rude, yeah, but say your piece, girl! it is frustrating for the reader.

3) out of the whole school, there are only two neutral people? the ih8ra page is joined by the whole freaking school. i get that these girls are virulent monsters that have ruined lives, and once one falls from the nest, it is open season, but no one else but liz and michael are above the high school nonsense?

4) was donnie trying again to rape her in that supply closet? seriously? that's insane.

5) why does michael stay around? especially after his disgust at her after the yourspace page incident, when he can see that she is totally getting off on her own petty revenge? not attractive, regina... i understand why she is proud of it - fighting back feels good, but michael doesn't, so his devotion feels weird. and she read his journal! right there in public! regina is kind of a shit that it is hard to root for.

6) so much hiding out! if you are not going to go to class, why hide out at the school? that is where people are shoving you down the stairs! get out of that building! i understand that if i'm not moving, nothing bad is happening, but go not-move somewhere else!

so, i know all that sounds like i didn't like it, but they are just things that made me a little angry reading this book. but this book should make you angry. bullying is stupid. my high school was too small to really contain this kind of thing, so whenever i read about it, it is like a foreign country to me. but it happens. a lot. and it is truly stupid. stop bullying, dummies!

the end.

come to my blog!

[Aj the Ravenous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Courtney Summers sure doesn’t waste her time. When she writes stories, she means business and she’s all about the serious dirty business, I’m telling you. Some Girls Are for me is her darkest, grittiest novel yet, even scarier than her zombie duology.

Some Girls Are is a story of girl who was once a part of the “Fearsome Fivesome” composed of girls who are so mean and so effed up, they scared the crap out of me. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like in the shoes of Regina who gets kicked out of this elite group because of a horrible experience twisted and manipulated into something untrue. Now the bully becomes the bullied as Regina now becomes the main subject of the school’s elite gang’s evil schemes.

My heart was beating so hard from page one because despite Regina’s flawed character, she still earned my empathy and I was worried for her every day she went to school. I was cheering for her on her attempts to retaliate and many times I felt this twisted and creepy sort of satisfaction when she gets even.

I’m just not too happy about the ending. I’m sure the author is simply trying to keep it real and I get that stories like this don’t end in happily ever afters but I just wish there were better resolutions on the gazillion conflicts in the story but specifically on this very serious issue which I thought wasn’t very well addressed. But l guess the story is just trying to align its conclusion to the main theme of the story. Some girls are mean, some girls are effed up and some girls are practically evil, nothing one can do about it. *sighs*

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars!

I came across this book the other day while browsing Audible. The description caught my eye and before I knew it, I had pressed that button and it was ready to go.

I was pulled in immediately. From the description, I knew it was going to involve a lot of bullying, but I don’t think I realized just how much it would affect me.

Regina Afton was once a part of the “Fearsome Fivesome”. However, an incident at a high school party changes everything for Regina. At school the following Monday morning not only is she shunned from the group, she becomes the sole target of their hatred along with some of the other students. Students Regina herself hadn’t been very kind too. In fact, she’d been downright vicious to some of them. She tries to explain herself but no one will listen and the bullying goes from bad to worse. Some people think she is finally getting what she deserves.

This was one of the first times I used “chipmunk speed” as what was happening was really starting to get to me but I couldn’t stop listening. I would love to think these things don't happen but I know this stuff goes on….so I stuck it out. I’ve read some pretty violent books over the years and it’s not like this one was extremely violent (although there were a few difficult scenes) but the emotional torment was just so hard to take... it was brutal. I really didn’t feel like there was any downtime… time to come up for air.

The book definitely kept me engaged. I’m trying not to give anything away so I apologize for being vague, but it was very overwhelming for me. However, there was no way I was going to stop reading... I HAD to know how things would play out. And then after another really intense scene …it just ends. Which in one way I think is good because not everything in life is wrapped up in a pretty bow. But on the other hand, it was just like…. that’s it?

The book is well-written and I do see what the author was trying to get across… and there can never be too much awareness of these issues. However, for me, it was so overwhelming. But I’ve seen many positive reviews from readers who thought it was a great read…so I think it’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”.

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you ever have the chance to read this book, DO IT. It is so, so, so, so important and so full of harsh truths that don't get discussed enough. Courtney Summers is a hero for writing this.

[Reynje · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was going to burn a hole in my stomach.

Even now, when I think about it I feel a visceral surge of anxiety; it triggers a physical response that echoes the rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath that accompanied the reading.

I mean this as a compliment to Summers’ writing. The ability to elicit such an intense and provocative reaction is, I think, testament to her skill. Some Girls Are is almost relentlessly harrowing in its portrayal of bullying and abuse, accentuated by Regina’s acerbic voice and Summers’ razor-sharp instinct for pacing and dialogue.

This is an unsettling and compelling story. The tension escalates rapidly as the stakes increase, and the novel (literally) doesn’t pull punches – to the point when beginning each chapter was accompanied by a mental flinch. It’s not always easy to read, but it is hard to put down.

What delineates Some Girls Are from other novels I’ve read about high school bullying is the perspective. Through Regina, we experience the viewpoint of someone who is both victim and perpetrator, someone who is subjected to physical and psychological bullying, and also inflicts it. Taking this further, not only does Regina exhibit mean girl tendencies, but a part of her relishes them. Even as she becomes fully cognizant of how far-reaching and destructive her actions are, she is also aware that on another level, she takes a vicious pleasure in enacting them.

This is an uncomfortable position to be in as a reader. It would be easy to categorise all who carry out this kind of torment as morally reprehensible villains. But Some Girls Are muddies this idea by examining the complex cycle of manipulation and abuse of power amongst the characters. The lines here are not clearly drawn; not all of those culpable are devoid of sympathetic – or at least, understandable – elements. Some Girls Are goes some way to explaining how such a deeply messed up dynamic is perpetuated – feeding off insecurity and intimidation, cultivated to exert control – without attempting to justify it. I don’t believe the novel asks us to defend Regina, but to acknowledge that these situations are rarely black and white. We’re not asked to excuse her actions, but to consider the context of them, to recognise how guilt, abuse and emotionally damaging relationships impact the way she responds to threatening situations.

As such, Some Girls Are challenges the common perception of the high school ‘mean girl’ – often presented as little more than a caricature of evil – with a confronting level of physical and emotional cruelty entangled with “friendship” and the ever-shifting hierarchy within cliques. To deny that girls are capable of this kind of behaviour does a disservice to those who have experienced it, and for that reason I believe this is a brave novel, insisting that we face a disturbing reality.

Considering the circumstances, buying into Michael’s ability to accept Regina is a big ask of readers, and I understand why some would struggle with how this particular plot line develops. I’m okay with this element of the story – in addition to fuelling the conflict in the final chapters of the novel I think it provides an interesting counter-balance to Kara’s consuming hatred and inability to let go. (And maybe I’m naïve but I want to believe that people are as capable of forgiveness as they are of torture).

I feel that the ending is left largely open to interpretation. Personally, I don’t see this as the end of Regina’s story, but rather as the beginning of long, hard road. We don’t know what choices she will make once she leaves those stairs. Even the weaving together of hands is a tentative, fragile thing. A sliver of hope, not a life-preserver thrown into the sea of carnage. Summers offers a reprieve from the harrowing climax in suggesting that Regina has options, a chance to alter her course. But she doesn’t explicitly spell out what lies beyond the final page.. that is left up to you.

I'm pretty sure I need an antacid right now.

[Marga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5/5 stars

THIS WAS SO SO GOOD. What a brilliant, emotional and evil novel!

I just.. The ending felt really rushed to me. I was like, THAT WAS IT?? I had the same sentiments with ALL THE RAGE and I wonder if Courtney Summers really write these open-minded conclusions? Can't wait to read more from her, though! Thanks for the rec, Chelsea!

Full review to be posted on the blog.

[Trudi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elaine: (on boys giving wedgies) Boys are sick.
Jerry: What do girls do?
Elaine: We just tease someone 'til they develop an eating disorder.~Seinfeld

There can be something so vicious and primal about the way young women torment and bully each other. It's tribal and unrelenting and it disturbs me to my very core because I have three young nieces, one of who is on the cusp of tweendom. And right now I can't decide what would be worse - to have them grow up to be the bullies? Or the bullied?

All I can think of to do is to support their parents in any way I can, and stand vigilant to all warning signs and distress signals of it going either way (and pray that they will each find a neutral safety zone that falls outside the worst of the predator/prey relationships they are sure to confront).

Meet Regina Afton. She is at the very top of her high school's food chain, orchestrating feeding frenzies and character assassinations on a whim. But all that's about to change when after a drunken party it gets out that Regina had sex with her best friend's boyfriend. It doesn't matter that this is a lie. It doesn't matter that the boyfriend in fact tried to rape Regina. All that matters is what her "friends" are willing to believe.

Suddenly, Regina is enemy number one, being targeted as "slut" and "whore" in a ruthless, protracted campaign that only gets worse with each passing day. Summers paints a brutish portrait of the realities of bullying that left me squirming and feeling sick to my stomach.

Point of note: this is hardcore realistic fiction. There are no punches pulled here. If you are sensitive in any way to teen profanity, sexual content, alcohol consumption or drug abuse, then this book is probably not for you. However, if you are seeking out a well-written, emotional, honest book about the dark side of bullying amongst girls, then please read this. Then after you read it, recommend it to all the young women that you know.

For sure this book is dark. For sure there are scenes that are very difficult to read. However, as Regina fights for her survival, there is also hope and humor as she moves closer to uncovering her greatest strengths (and weaknesses).

Courtney Summers is an author to watch.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three words: (some girls are) very very mean

I really wish I could write an intellectual, well thought out, comprehensive review, that could do an exceptional book justice. Because if a book ever deserved that type of review it would be Some Girls Are.

I honestly don’t know how Courtney does it. How can she write a character that is a bitch, in all essence of the word.... and make me like her.... feel sorry for her even! I should hate her, hate all that she stands for, for all those bitches in high school that thought they were.... well that’s another story for a different day.

That’s who Regina is- a bitch, and yet, I empathized with her. I felt sorry for her. I found myself nodding in agreement, with her conniving plans to get back at the girls that were making her life a living hell. Who brainwashed me into feeling this way... Courtney Summers did, that’s who. She manipulated me with her words! She used her amazing talent to deconstruct my view of something that had always been black and white, bitch and non-bitch and made it... GRAY! How dare you!? Now I’m wondering... do bitches have feelings too....? Do bitches deserve second chances. Do bitches deserve the sweetest guy on the planet?

Speaking of sweetest guys on the planet.... was anyone else feeling that tension between those two, or was it just me. I know it couldn’t possibly be just me... but I just wanted to scream..KISS HER ALREADY! I know you hate her, but give her a big ole’ I hate you kiss!

I really wanted to do intellectual, but it’s obviously not happening.

Seriously though... I can’t say enough good things about this book. Courtney has a very distinct style, and I really enjoy reading her books. She has great characterization, the plot is just insane... when you think these girls couldn’t be more mean, well they can and they Are.

I could not put this book down, and yet.. it was hard to read. I literally picked it up hoping to get a few chapters in and ended up reading the whole thing through.

The realistic portrayal of these girls is absolutely disturbing, in a grossly addicting way. You don’t want to see what horrible things they do next... yet you do. How is that possible... am I just a masochist like that?

And here I raise my glass... to Courtney Summers... the queen of mean. Not that I’m saying Courtney is mean, she is in fact very sweet, but damn, she knows how to write some mean ass girls!

I’m ready for book three, NOW.

[Mrinmayi]

Why does the person on the cover look like Loki in a Green Hoodie???!! Maybe I am just a little obsessed with Loki lol



Hoohooo..I am the new Sherlock guys😂😤

[Chelsea ✨Arielle’s Nebular Ally and Team Acrux✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heartbeat slows to nothing and then, when I'm sure I'm dead, it thumps once. Twice. Three times. Steady and even. I'm still here. I get to ten beats and then it beats faster-twenty, faster, thirty, faster, forty. Do something do something do something.


Explosive.
Mind-blowing.
Intense.
Evil.
Awesome.

Just.....just. Wow. And, ya know, I had never even read a book by this author two weeks ago and now I like...worship her. Every word has gravity to it. Every sentence is a slap in the face. Each page is more shocking than the last. And it's all so damn simple. There's no grand use of metaphors shoved down our throats and there aren't poetic verses on every other page....no. It's all about the build-up. She builds these simple, every day moments and builds and builds and builds and then all of a sudden you can't breathe and you're frantically reading the pages trying to see what happens next and then Boom. It's so fucking simple. But that's Courtney Summers, I've come to find: She's the silent killer.

He's as bad as me, and Kara's as bad as me, and I'm as bad as Anna, who killed all the things that were good about me before they got the chance to do any good.

I was so excited to write this review and now I'm at a loss for words. How in the world can I do this book justice? It's not like we've never seen the mean girl act before-petty lies, jealousies, fights, and, ultimately, a big misunderstanding. But this is so different. And it doesn't seem like it should be, ya know? We're in this girl's head, Regina's, and she used to be best friend to the queen bee. What an honor. But then one fateful night at a party, best friend Anna's scumbag boyfriend decides he wants to get handsy with Regina-violently handsy. I am going to rape you if you don't say yes, handsy. So when a narrowly avoided escape from a tragic event becomes a vicious, nasty rumor gone wrong, Regina finds herself on the outside of the fearsome five....and their newest target.

We're the kind of popular that parents like to pretend doesn't exist so they can sleep at night, and we're the kind of popular that makes our peers unable to sleep at night.

Think about this a moment, will you? Top of the food chain. Four years of torturing those less than you, those that are afraid of you when you pass them in the halls...and then reverse that completely. All of a sudden you're afraid to turn the wrong corner and see the wrong people. Every time you turn around you're getting pushed down the stairs, locked in closets, your things are getting ruined repeatedly-and you never know when the prank will go too far and you won't be able to recover from it.

When I'm done, I feel empty, but only for a second. Because I get it; I do. I get why Anna was my best friend. Why I couldn't be friends with Liz and why I couldn't save her and why I couldn't eat. Why Kara hates me. Why Michael can't be around me. Kara lost the weight. It didn't matter. Same school, same teachers, same classmates, same friends. No chance.

I absolutely ADORED this story. It was SO fun to be on the other side of the token, to be on the inside of a former mean girl's head. We got to see the vicious side of wanting cold, calculated revenge. She isn't some girl they are just now deciding to start hazing, she was actually a part of that group-so she knows all the tricks....and she isn't afraid to use them when they shove too hard. And this is what I loved so much: She wasn't afraid to be a bitch. She wasn't afraid to fight dirty. And I wanted her to. I wanted to see her scrape and claw and rip their hair out. I became immediately engrossed and invigorated when she would 'push back' and show those bitches what she's really made of....she's no delicate flower-that's for certain. I don't know what that says about me, either.

In high school, you don't get to change. You only get to walk variations of the same lines everyone has already drawn for you.
So I should just make the best of it.

I think my favorite part of this story, though, was Michael. Everything to do with Michael, I was a mess. Not only because he was a sudden love interest, though I loved that as well, but because of how the mighty had fallen. Michael-the new kid from years ago who's reputation she ruined. Michael-the loner who doesn't care what people think of him. Micheal-the kid who is now an outcast and sits alone at lunch in the back of the cafeteria. Michael...the only friend she might have.

And I think that's what made this such a finely layered story. Regina was so mean to others because Anna TOLD her to be, and now that she's on the outside looking in, she has no one to turn to. It was so beyond fascinating to be inside her head and to see how she handled being invisible to everyone socially and to be on the receiving end of vicious rumors and threats. I loved seeing her progression from indifference to fighting back to utter obsession over what's being said and how she can exact revenge on anyone and everyone that wrongs her. But, even more than that, I loved seeing that vulnerable girl who was sensitive and just wanted a friend.

Hell, I loved Michael. Big shocker there-Summers creates the coolest guys. And Michael didn't make it easy. I loved that, too. Some days he didn't even let her sit at the table. But here's the kicker-he was always there for her. He was a silent defender and friend when she was humiliated or hurt in front of the whole school, he showed up when she needed him most....but he couldn't fully give himself to her. She was cruel, vindictive, and judgemental without even knowing him, so he wasn't about to fall for her act just because she was lonely...but what if it wasn't an act at all? What if she really and truly enjoyed his company? And, worst of all, what would she do when her sudden interest in him explodes in colorful fireworks on the fearsome five's radar? What would she do to protect him? It nearly tore my heart out of my chest.

Some people will never give up on their lack of belief in you. I'm used to that feeling, but for the first time ever, it hurts.

Lastly, I have to say this: This book was so epic that I. Never. Once. Checked. To see what percentage I was at. NEVER. It was so engrossing, addicting, and mind-boggling that I didn't even think while I read! I always check because I'm always ready for the next book I'm going to read. But not this one-My mind was fully immersed in the story and nothing else mattered. I loved our main character so much it was a visceral, deep feeling and her life became my life and....well, you get the picture.

Venomous, tortuous, and pulse-pounding, this subtle book sneaks up on you and sinks it's claws into your soul. I swear, if you pick this up, you won't be putting it down any time soon-I started it at lunch on Sunday, just wanting to get a sneak peek, and I was HOOKED. Dinner plans??? Lets rush 'em, because this book was all I could think about. The Oscars? Who needs 'em!! I am READING AN EXCELLENT BOOK that has taken over my body. I don't know why I'd never read anything by Courtney Summers before, but after This is Not a Test and now this one, I will forever be a fan. I can't get enough and I will shove her books in other people's faces like a deranged drug pusher from now until the end of time-I've succeeded with a few of my friends....now onto the rest of them.


For more of my reviews, please visit:








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5 brutal, menacing, tortuous, evil-little-bitch stars

Seriously. I AM SO STOKED AND EXCITED TO WRITE THIS REVIEW IT ROOOOOOOOCKSSS!!! ♥

(Review tomorrow!!!)

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

▐░ I'm going to use a Joker card here.▐░



Hmm sorry - not this one.



This is better.

WHY? Because yes I finished it but for now I'm completely unable to rate it. It would be a positive rating (3.5 to 5), but what exactly? I'm kicking the ball into touch, sorry. Yes, this book disturbed me that much, and I think a reread will be necessary for me to make a decision.

This no-rating is bugging me. Let's give it a 4. Because I CAN, duh.

Indeed, while the writing was flawless and the book literally unputdownable, I'm not sure how I feel about the treatment of the issue of bullying. Call me a baby girl, but I never, ever, saw people acting like that. Never. To be frank, I was so disturbed that I asked some good friends of mine - who attended different high-schools than me - and the fact is, if of course, unfortunately, I have witnessed bullying actions during my school days, there are some scenes here that I wasn't able to fucking imagine : the raw meat in the locker, for example. That was too much for me. And if in a messed-up way, I can understand why Kara and Regina act like this, Anna the super villain was a freaking alien to me. I don't get it. So take my opinion with a grain of salt, because I'm maybe just a lucky baby girl. I'm serious.

The second thing that disturbed me can be sum up with this question : WHERE. THE. FUCK. ARE. THE. ADULTS? I mean, I get that a lot of ill things can happen without any witnesses, but I was a teenager, I worked in a high-school, and I can't understand how no adult takes action. Never. Where are the parents? The school staff?

Finally, the ending was too rushed for my taste - after all this angst, ending so rapidly was just... anticlimatic.

Don't get fooled, I honestly think that this book is really good and painfully necessary. The fact that I don't get it is perhaps the point here, because it leads me to think about the issue of bullying and to ask myself if I was particularly lucky or just fucking blind. I don't know, and that's what bothers me the most.

❧ Special thanks to the awesome Chelsea for the Birthday Gift ♥ ❧

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is going to be a tough review because I don't normally rate anything written by Courtney Summers this low. When I first started reading, I thought I was really going to enjoy this one. It starts off well enough, with Summers' distinctively gritty writing showing us a world of teenage drugs, alcohol, and sex that quickly explodes into a slightly terrifying assault. I think my biggest gripe is that this story never really slows down. The bullies are a bit over-the-top, almost to the point of being cartoon villains, and I spent a couple of hours watching them basically rip Regina Afton apart. If you've ever seen the movie Crank, that's the best example I can give of how this book's pacing feels. It's just one emotional upheaval after another until the reader is nearly desensitized to the entire thing, but worn down by just how much negativity and vileness is rolling off the characters.

And then the book just ends. Just like that. There aren't really any epiphanies, I don't think anyone learned any lessons at all....

Wait, I know how to describe why I'm disappointed; it was too draining while not providing nearly enough emotional payoff at the end. It felt pointless. I don't like reading things that feel pointless.

[Jenny Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update: 11-7-19

Here I am six months later and I'm still thinking about this book. I finally realized that when I react this strongly and emotionally, it's because it's well-written. If I had taken my time to think about it before posting my review instead of making a snap-judgment, I would have realized that. I do love Courtney Summers's writing. She always manages to push all my buttons. If you've never read any of her books, Sadie is a good place to start or with this one.

***
Original Review:
I hated every character in this book except Liz and Michael. It's an infuriating story, painful to read, and many times I wanted to completely rip the book into shreds. I'm not sure if I truly hated every moment or if it's one of those stories that I love to hate, so no rating.

[♛ may · Rating 5 out of 5]

gosh dammit this book is mean. i feel like the ending was REALLY rushed but hey i can't give it less than 5 stars anyways

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

book #3 in the buddy and reread CS binge with poop ❤❤

im literally incapable to read anything beyond her books atm

[s · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm dead inside!!!!!

Buddy read with xD

[Kathe L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3,5 stars

Maybe it's unfair to do this review right now, given the emotional place I am. But I need to take everything out of my chest. This may be a horrible, confused review, though.

Beginning to that you-know-which part of the book:
I almost couldn't read this. I almost threw up a lot of times. My friends and my family always say that one of the worst things about me is that I have a happy bubble and I love my happy bubble and this book WANTED TO DISTURB MY HAPPY BUBBLE. The thing is: if someone comes to you, bruised, crying and says someone just tried to rape you, what do you do? You tell her not to tell your other friends and not to say a thing to the police, and the girl, freaked out, just accepts it and spends the weekend in a dark space. On Monday, what happens? You 'steal' her friends and you tell them the girl slept with Anna's boyfriend (this boyfriend tried to rape the girl) and these supposed friends don't believe that the girl was almost raped. I introduce you to Kara, the 'you' person in this situation. And she freaked me out. I couldn't assimilate the fact that someone would actually do this to another person. But then, we meet, meet Anna, and Regina, the girl who was almost raped, better. And oh, boy.

"Hallowell High:
You're either someone or you're not.
I was someone. I was Regina Afton. I was Anna Morrison's best friend. These weren't small things, and despite what you may think, at the time they were worth keeping my mouth shut for."

Meet Regina Afton. She was Anna's best friend since forever, but then she 'sleeps' with Donnie, the guy Anna 'wanted', and Anna casts her out socially and because she's queen of the school, everyone gives Regina the cold shoulder as well. Anna is someone who I didn't feel a thing for. My main problems, for a very long time in this book, were Regina and Kara. Why Regina, you say? The victim here? Before she was left out, Regina used to do everything Anna said. If Anna asked Regina to make Liz's life a hell just for the fun of it, Regina would do it. That's why she doesn't have anyone in school who feels compassion towards her. She did incredibly bad things to a lot of people. That left me very sad. I used to have bad friends who would abuse me academically, asking me to do their homework and passing answers during tests. But never to do anyone harm, and I would never do it as well, even if, at the time, I was petrified of them. (this only lasted a half year, though, when I let go of them and tried to be friends with other people.) Regina did these stuff for years, and she ruined lives. Now she's confused, she's scared, she wants redemption, she's angry at her old 'friends'. All of them ugly sides, you know? I don't even know how to explain, I just... reading this was making me nauseated because I couldn't imagine people like Kara and Anna, that keep, the whole book, trying to make Regina 'pay' for having 'slept' with Donnie when she was actually almost raped. Anna, her supposed best friend. Kara, wanting to - desperately - be friends with Anna seeing what she does. Why would everyone want that? And Regina, unfortunately, was paying for what she did all those years in the most horrifying way possible. That's why, in a point, this book is, indeed, horrifying.

Where where Regina's parents? And her teachers? - They just weren't there. This was... yeah, it was mind blowing as well.

Where and who is our hero in this? I introduce you to two people, Michael, and Regina after kind of 50% of the book. Both Regina's are completely different people and this one wasn't perfect, but was mature, in a sort of way. While 'old' Regina was a mess of sadness, confusion, rage, indecision, this one made me extremely proud in a specific scene and was dealing with stuff with her head high. the scene at the party when she decided not to commit suicide - she was very strong. At least I thought so. And Michael is just... an amazing character. He lost his mom a while ago, and he was one of the kids that Regina used to bother - in lack of a stronger word. Still, he is with Regina the whole book. Yes, she changes, but he does as well. And I thought him to be kind, strong, and extremely real. My absolute favorite from start to finish.

I can't tell you not to read this because... it is good. It makes you stronger and it opens your eyes to a situation I had never seen before. I just wasn't... prepared? I would say this was a kick to my stomach but seeing I only finished this ten minutes ago, it's still too fresh. This book is disturbing in a learning kind of way. It left me scared and with huge bruises on my bubble, you know? At the same time I know there are horrible people out there, it still pains me to read a story like this one. What if someone reads this and identifies? Just... you know? I would never reread this, but I would never un-read it. It's a strange feeling but a feeling only Courtney Summers can bring out on me, this amazing writer that keep us hooked from the start. (didn't I finish this in one afternoon, after all?) This is my third book from her and I'll definitely keep going, because she makes me feel. And that's one surprising and amazing thing.

“I wonder if, even after all of this, he understands how fragile good things are in my hands and how many times they've been taken away from me.”

[Syndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is intended for YA audience. But the topic of the story is so real with everyday life as YA/NA. Bully, popularity, social pressure, sexual assault, friendship and family. Regina is the heroine of the story. She is one of the popular girl. Until during 1 party, she was sexually assault by her best friend's boyfriend. Suddenly the rumors in the school is against her. She lost all of her social status. She ends up on the trash lunch table with Michael. And their friendship begins. Regina begins to see what is important in life and who is her real friends.

There is a romance, but its in the background. The romance is serves as a kick to Regina's character development. Regina ends up as survivor and the real heroine of this story. I do love Regina's fearless trait where she stands up to herself.

This is a very good book. There is a lot of moral messages in this book that can be very powerful for YA audience.

4 stars

[Rachel L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I think this book is something I would have rated higher if I had read it closer to when it was released (2009). I liked it, but not enough for four stars. This is a book I bought years ago after seeing many positive reviews here on Goodreads and it became a part of my defeat the TBR shelf mission in 2020.

A high school drama about bullying and redemption. It was kind of a mix of Sarah Dessen’s Just Listen, and Lauren Oliver’s Before I Fall. Like I said, I enjoyed it, but it didn’t stand out to me as special or unique. Again, I wish I had read it closer to when it released because I think I would have enjoyed it more.

[Victoria Schwab · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, like Courtney Summers' first, but to an even greater degree, was brimming with awesome. But what makes it so special, such an incredible, can't-put-down book, is the intense contradiction woven throughout. It's at once brutal and uncomfortable and captivating and addictive and impeccably written. I was never comfortable or at ease while reading, because the whole time I cared so deeply about the balance, or lack of it, in the characters' lives. Summers' characters walk tight ropes as she balances their lives so precariously, and then does everything in her power to shake the ropes beneath their feet. I held my breath for most of this book.

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you would ask me point blank if I enjoyed reading this novel, my answer would be no. Because can you really enjoy something that hurts so much? Can you find delight in something that pisses you off so much? Now, if you asked me if this novel is one that needs to be read? Not only is that answers yes, but I would also add that this is a story that I'm thoroughly thankful for. It shines the most brutal light on bullying, not giving us a choice to look at it first hand. To experience the pain, the remorse, the emptiness that our protagonist feels. And Courtney does this in a way that ambushes you, with a narrator who was once a bully herself; a girl who has done to others what is now being done to her, yet you find it in yourself to forgive her no matter how much you thought you would never want to.

Regina was a bully - before she was the bullied. She once tortured a girl to the point of making her suicidal. She did terrible, revolting things. I completely hated her for who she used to be. Yes, I hated our protagonist from the very start, and you likely will too, at first. When a rumor makes her the school pariah, I wasn't sad to see her finally taken down a notch. She reminded me of some of the bullies at my high school, and I would lie if I said I'd feel sorry if they had gotten a taste of their own medicine. But then… I didn't feel that way anymore. If anything, I felt empty. I just wanted it all to stop. Getting humiliated is one thing, but what Regina goes through in this novel is not anything anyone deserves. I only wanted her to get a freaking break. Then, I became angry. Angry in a way that made me see red. So much so that Regina's small victories against her own bullies became major sources of pleasure. What this says about me, I'm afraid to know, but nothing made me happier than to see her slap the bitch! This drive to do something is a big part of what I loved about this novel; even though there were often better solutions, Regina doesn't just sit there and take it.

In the end, yes I forgave her. I think she fully deserves the guilt that she will forever have to live with, but I also believe she's now a better person. She grew from this experience and learned from it a great deal. Still, forgiving her was not easy for me, but Courtney has a way of making you feel... completely at a loss for this person who's so strong that you want to cry and collapse for them while they're somehow staying upright under this cruelty. Then, after all of that pain, after each page that amplifies this overpowering need to see justice... it just ends. IT ENDS! RAAAAAAWR! *takes my rage out on various household objects.*

Oh Courtney Summers, you love making a mess out of me AND my house!

*Goes off to meditate*

--

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this in the mail last night from First Reads and started it immediately. And wow. NOT what I was expecting AT ALL! This book was so hard to read, but practically impossible to put down. I loved the characters and hated them at the same time. It's really fantastically written and Summers managed to make me feel all of the anger and desperation and exhaustion and loneliness and fear and exaltation and...hope...that the characters feel--I was completely stressed out and anxious the entire time, wondering what was going to happen and how it would all end. This is not your typical tame teen fluff by any means. Everyone in this book is totally screwed up and horrible to each other, and there's not a whole lot of redemption to be had, though there are some second chances. For the most part, though, it's a thrillingly heart-wrenching read. I felt the main conflict was resolved a little too easily somehow, but I loved the very end. And also, I DARE you to read this and not fall at least a tiny bit in love with Michael! Oh, those delicious, tortured emo boys...

I haven't read Summers' first novel, Cracked Up to Be, but it's going on my to-read list immediately, and I'll definitely be looking forward to whatever she puts out next.

Thanks, First Reads!!!
———
Okay, haven’t read this in yeeeeeeears, but remembered loving it way back when, so I was excited to listen to the audio version. And…I did still like it a lot, but not quite like I did originally. I feel like maybe it’s the audio version I didn’t love as much. I mean, it’s fine, but…something about the print version inspires much more anxiety in me, I think. If that makes sense.

[ApoorvaReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

too lazy to write a review but i was really expecting it to be a 4 or a 5 star read but sorry this was way too much. The characters and the hatred was way too much and the ending was so abrupt and the bullying was just whole another level and i hated how everyone in this book was mean to a new level and I didn’t like the characters at all (except Michael).

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read: 1/18/12

Somehow, it's even better the second time around.


If you follow my reviews, you know how much I hate clique books and mean girls. I expected to really dislike this book. I thought it would just be another Gossip Girls wannabe. For once, I was wrong. First impressions can be deceiving.

Some Girls Are is a lot like Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen. But unlike Sarah Dessen, Courtney Summers knows how to handle gritty topics.

The protagonist of Some Girls Are is Regina Afton, a sixteen-year-old mean girl. She was almost raped by Donnie, the boyfriend of her best-friend, Anna, at a party. Regina made the mistake of going to Kara, a fellow mean girl that hates her, and telling Kara the entire story. Kara warps the story and tells Anna that Regina and Donnie slept together. Now Regina is an outcast and is being tormented everyday at school by Anna and her previous friends, Kara, Jeannette, and Marta. Oh, and the whole school hates her. The only person she can confide in, is Michael, a boy who's life she once made miserable.

I liked Regina. She had flaws, and she admitted them. I hate protagonists like Bella Swan and Norah Grey who've never done anything wrong in their entire lives. The truth is, we've all done something we regret before. At least 1 out of 5 people has participated in bullying someone else. It might not be to the extremes presented in this book, but if you've done it, you know you've done it. Lets face it, even if you don't like Regina, you can understand the situation she's in. Everyone has wanted to be popular at one point. A lot of people are willing to do anything to be popular. But they never expect for karma to retaliate.

I've read a few reviews of this book, and a lot of people say that the bullying presented is unrealistic. We've all heard the tales of boys being bullied. Boys being sodomized in locker rooms, boys getting swirlies and wedgies, boys getting the crap beaten out of them in bathrooms. So girls can't get bullied? Girl on girl bullying is an entirely different beast. Girls don't exactly have the physical strength to beat the shit out of someone -- or maybe some do? -- but I know that some will fight over the pettiest things. And for the record, I'm under the impression that Anna is a sociopath. She feels no guilt, no empathy, and she's a horrible manipulator.

I also liked Michael. While the romance between him and Regina happened a bit to quick for my liking, I still appreciated the fact that he wasn't running to forgive her. He stuck to his guns.

Courtney Summers has a way of making you hate her villains. You know that feeling you get whenever you're watching Silence of the Lambs, you just want Buffalo Bill to die, or when you're watching the Karate Kid. They make you really hate the villains. Summers manages to do this, while still making them somewhat three dimensional. I kept on wishing for Regina to do something to Kara and Anna -- anything!

Yesterday, I thought really hard about what I was going to say about this book. The whole rape situation with Regina and Donnie seemed somewhat illogical to me at first. Kinda like in Speak. But then it came to me, why no-one believed Regina. She knew Donnie for two years. In date rape cases, the victim is hardly ever believed. Plus, Kara lied first. I might hate everyone for not believing her, I understand why they didn't.

As for the drugs and the drinking, while some of it stretches my belief a little -- to the point of being unbelievable -- here in Albuquerque there were three underage drinking party busts in just two months. I can understand how they were doing that much drinking, even if I don't think it's a good idea.

My main problem with Speak is that no-one notices what Melinda is going through. That's not a problem with Some Girls Are. Everyone at school notices, they just don't care. Teachers are actually used in this book, even if they're pretty useless. Even her parents notice to some extent, but Regina just refuses to tell them what's wrong. And the pacing is pretty good. I liked the writing style too.

In all, this is a pretty good book. Content wise, it's got some drugs, some drinking, mentions of sex, and a lot of language. But compared to other YA books, it's pretty mild. It would be PG-13 if it was a movie. And it says drugs and drinking to the point of passing out are wrong, and it shows bullying in a negative light, so it's got a moral. This is much better than Cracked Up to Be, Summer's debut. I'd recommend it to anyone and I'll definitely be checking out her next book.

3.75 stars.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some girls are weak, some girls are conniving, some girls are wretched, vile, petty, reprehensible, fucktards, beastly, browbeaters, evil, injurious, dreadful, loathsome, tormentors, insolent, spiteful, and just fucking mean. Some girls are twats.

Let me take a second to pop my eighth vitamin C drop and blow my nose on my ‘face wipes’ because my place of employment do not believe in tissues. I will also take this moment to let you know that this damn summer cold thing has greatly altered my perceptions and the ‘all people have good in them somewhere if we give them a chance’ crap is out. Weg. Wamekwenda. Outta heahhhh

We’ve seen this before... many times, a YA book about bullying? It’s like old school, we know have YA books about crank and cutting and mad cow disease and sex and sex with animals and sex with teachers and..... (cough*gasp*wheeze*) Anyway, GR’s top 5 YA books as voted by all of you involve a boy wizard, a dystopian battle to the death, a clutzy vampire lover, a demigod with daddy issues, and a poor boy chosen to carry on the memories, sins, history of his people. (Really? You guys gave The Giver the #4 spot? Good on ya!)

I did not become attached to this book. I read it as I would a magazine article. Hey look there, huh. I didn’t care enough about the characters to put much into them. Why? They wouldn’t give me the time of day. I know this lot. I know how they work. I was ‘bullied’ but I was lucky. Mine was pre social media and really just took inane cheerleaders who had nothing else to do but torment me. I fucking still can’t stand them, Susan Deblois and Tricia (Twissa) Paradis. They didn’t do much.. a giggle there, an eyeroll here, they weren’t even the ones that spit on me... those I hold no real grudge about... But Sue and Twissa... you guys are pathetic.

My children get bullied... and now this is a bit more serious... since, if you look up my town on Wiki you will see that we have the honor of being mentioned for “in 2003, as a result of the nationally publicized suicide of an Essex Junction teenager, Vermont, and other states, passed legislation against cyber-bullying.” Yay.

My kids are pretty resilient, I hope. It’s what I see… at least in my two oldest… But, I think they hold a lot back. They have more gusto than their mom, probably got that from the dad, but they do hurt. Like the day that Izzy came home because she heard a couple of girls talking about a rumor that Izzy threw up before lunch so no one should go near her. ??? Or Satchel being bullied by two nasty little twin girls in pre-school that was soon fixed by my ever loving bff Michelle ‘Booby’ Metro when she suggested that “Like when Miss Ashley (his teacher) isn’t looking, you squat down in front of the girls and you tell them that if they ever touch your son again you’ll drive them out into the woods where nobody will see them until spring when their wolf-ravaged carcasses are found sticking out of the melting snow.”
I need my own Booby for times like this… But, for the most part… I’m not seeing it so much… But, to think that I could be as blind as the mom in this book--that frightens me.

For shits and giggles, I googled 'Who is the meanest person in the world?' and found this:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_is_the_...

So sad.

I don’t care about Regina. I don’t care that Regina is pretty much one big ball of acidic gasses. She deserves it. She can try to repent all she wants, she can try to undo all she wants, she can fucking martyr herself. I don’t care. She shouldn’t have ever been attracted to that Heathers Crowd. First of all, wearing the same outfits every day? Hello? First clue? Then, being the alpha bitch’s bitch? Really? You think so low of yourself that you cannot figure this out? How important is all this to you? I don’t get it. I just never have. Popularity seems equivalent to being stupid. I would never strive for such. I wouldn’t lower myself to the shit that Regina does for that posse. It’s so sad to watch. Yet, I know… I know… that there are girls out there doing this. Christ. Where is the fun? Is drama your main motivation? Ruining the high school years of girls who are already dealing with the high school fears and not trusting their true self and all that garbage that every After school special drilled into us the parents? Where are the parents of these monsters? Watching babies in tiaras or desperate housewives. Yes, this goes much deeper than a humbled, shy, ill, 40 something with her own self worth issues.

Yes, Regina… suck that antacid and deal. Spend the rest of your life wondering what made you decide that this was the path that you needed to follow. That it was better to do this than to be alone at lunch. And fuck you for getting the cute, dysfunctional writer boy in the end. (oops spoiler) because you don’t deserve it. You deserve to be in your mid 40s sitting in some bar discussing the ‘merits’ of Christian Grey and how hot that is because if you really believe that then you have just totally vindicated every smart bullied girl my age (yeah, directed at you Sue and Twissa… I hope he rocks your worlds because sex must really really suck IRL)

And the whole ‘don’t hate the playah, hate the game’ attitude? Screw that? The game is bullshit and the players are twats. Please get a life.