Published: 2021
Author: Tess Sharpe
Genres: Young Adult, Thriller, LGBT, Mystery, Contemporary, Queer, Lesbian, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Romance
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: 5 Stars
Goodreads Link: The Girls I’ve Been
Triggers: Violence, bank robbery/heist, hostage situations, con-artist manipulation/parental exploitation
Review By: Heather Kent
Publisher’s Summary:
A slick, twisty YA page-turner about the daughter of a con artist who is taken hostage in a bank heist. Nora O’Malley’s been a lot of girls. As the daughter of a con-artist who targets criminal men, she grew up as her mother’s protégé. But when mom fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape. For five years Nora’s been playing at normal. But she needs to dust off the skills she ditched because she has three problems:
- #1: Her ex walked in on her with her girlfriend. Even though they’re all friends, Wes didn’t know about her and Iris.
- #2: The morning after Wes finds them kissing, they all have to meet to deposit the fundraiser money they raised at the bank. It’s a nightmare that goes from awkward to deadly, because:
- #3: Right after they enter bank, two guys start robbing it.
The bank robbers may be trouble, but Nora’s something else entirely. They have no idea who they’re really holding hostage…
Review:
I really enjoyed this book. It was a thriller that took place over the course of a couple of hours. You follow the story of Nora and her two friends trying to survive a bank robbery as well as information about Nora’s past. It really shows the power of friends and family and what you will do to keep them safe. It was a fast read as the author did a fantastic job with the pacing of the story in the bank as well as Nora’s past.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- English Language Arts / Creative Writing (Nonlinear Pacing & Dual Timelines): This novel provides an excellent structural case study for high school English classes. Teachers can use it to evaluate how an author balances a fast-paced, real-time crisis (unfolding over just a few hours) alongside extensive flashbacks detailing a protagonist’s dark childhood, helping students analyze how structural pacing builds tension.
- Social-Emotional Learning / Family & Friendship Dynamics: The core theme centers heavily on the boundaries of interpersonal loyalty and the protective nature of chosen families during a life-or-death crisis. The intricate relationships among Nora, her girlfriend Iris, and her ex-boyfriend/friend Wes offer relevant discussion points regarding communication boundaries, processing romantic shifts within a friend group, and navigating shared trauma.
Diversity & Representation:
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The novel actively champions meaningful representation and inclusion by centering its high-octane thriller plot on a queer female protagonist navigating complex romantic relationships, including her bond with her girlfriend Iris. By normalising LGBTQ+ identities within a high-stakes action setting, the text expands the scope of queer fiction, offering diverse representation where marginalized youth are portrayed as uniquely capable, strategic, and resilient heroes.
Readalikes:
- The Counselors by Wendy Heard
- I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
- All Her Little Secrets by Wanda M. Morris
