The Girl in Question (The Girls I've Been #2)

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The Girl in Question (The Girls I've Been #2)

Author(s)

Tess Sharpe

Publisher

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

14+

Release Date

May 14, 2024

ISBN

978-0316574914

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Four teens. Three henchmen. Two thousand acres of remote forest. One very bad man. And a whole lot of new secrets to unearth. The unmissable, thrilling follow-up to THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN (soon to be a Netflix film).

High school is over, but Nora O'Malley's life isn't, which is weird now that her murderous stepdad Raymond is free. Determined to enjoy summer before her (possibly) imminent demise, Nora plans a ten day backpacking trip with Iris and Wes. Her plans hit a snag when Wes's girlfriend tags along. Amanda is nice, so it's not a huge issue—until she gets taken. Or rather, mistaken...for Nora. All because of a borrowed flannel.

Now Raymond has a hostage. Nora has no leverage. Iris has a spear and Wes is building boobytraps. It'll take all of their skills to make it out of the forest alive.

There are three problems: Someone is lying. Someone is keeping secrets.

And someone has to die.

Editor review

1 review

A Twisty YA Thriller

July 18, 2024

Overall rating

4.7

Plot

5.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

THE GIRL IN QUESTION is the thrilling YA sequel to 'The Girls I've Been' by Tess Sharpe. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last, and I could not put it down until I saw how Nora's story would play out.

What I immediately noticed about this book was the author's ability to make each character's voice distinctive and memorable. We get chapters from Nora's point of view, as well as some from Wes and Iris'. I especially loved Iris and her positivity and bravery. Her and Nora's relationship was sweet and endearing—perfectly balancing out the sinister plot and themes.

For more sensitive readers, I would recommend reading the official content warning list for this book before diving in. There are themes of domestic violence and abuse (psychological, emotional, and physical), as well as murder, threats, kidnapping, graphic imagery, etc. If you are like me and can enjoy a dark and suspenseful thriller, then this is the perfect book for you.

Raymond, Nora's stepfather and the main antagonist, was twisted and menacing, and although I usually do not get scared while reading, I got chills multiple times while reading Raymond's lines. He is ruthless and controlling, and yet, in a sick way, appears to really care about Nora's mother. He is a complex and difficult character, and he gave me an uneasy feeling. His presence was always felt, even when he was absent from the actual storyline. All of this made for a more impactful ending.

I would have loved to see more chapters from Amanda's point of view and learn more about her character early on in the book. At first, she seems a bit offensive and disagreeable, but the major plot twist involving her character and identity completely shifted how I viewed her.

If you are interested in a twisty, disturbing, and intriguing young-adult novel, I cannot recommend THE GIRL IN QUESTION enough. Fans of the first book, THE GIRLS I'VE BEEN, will enjoy returning to Nora and Tess Sharpe's stunning prose. This is one of my favorite thrillers I have read this year, and I am so glad I discovered this incredible author.