{"product_id":"the-girls-ive-been-isbn-9780593353820","title":"The Girls I've Been","description":"\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Bestseller * A \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e Bestseller * In this feminist, suspenseful thriller the daughter of a con artist is taken hostage in a bank heist—and will need to tap into all her skills in order to survive.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNora 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 her mom fell for the mark instead of conning him, Nora pulled the ultimate con: escape.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor five years Nora's been playing at normal. But she needs to dust off the skills she ditched because she has three problems:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#1: Her ex walked in on her with her girlfriend. Even though they're all friends, Wes didn't know about her and Iris.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#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:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#3: Right after they enter the bank, two guys start robbing it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe bank robbers may be trouble, but Nora's something else entirely. They have no idea who they're really holding hostage . . .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eFORBES\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBUZZFEED\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBOOK RIOT\u003c\/i\u003e AND \u003ci\u003eKIRKUS\u003c\/i\u003e BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eFORBES\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBUZZFEED\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBOOK RIOT\u003c\/i\u003e AND \u003ci\u003eKIRKUS\u003c\/i\u003e BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY AND CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA \u003ci\u003eCOSMOPOLITAN \u003c\/i\u003e100 BEST YA BOOKS EVERYONE SHOULD READ, REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAN ALA RISE: FEMINIST BOOK PROJECT AND ALA RAINBOW BOOK LIST SELECTION\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e★ “A captivating, explosive, and satisfyingly queer thriller.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus, \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e★ \"An arrestingly incisive narrative . . . fiercely captivating and impressively characterized, this tightly plotted thriller is engrossing from start to finish.\" --\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003cb\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e★ \"Not since \u003ci\u003eVeronica Mars\u003c\/i\u003e have hardscrabble swagger, enormous grief and teenage noir been combined into such a satisfying piece of storytelling. \u003ci\u003eThe Girls I've Been\u003c\/i\u003e is a heart-wrenching, perfectly paced, cinematic thriller . . . a romance, a tragedy and a story about reclaiming agency and power. It is a triumph.\" \u003ci\u003e—Bookpage\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003cb\u003e starred review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"YA thriller fans, \u003ci\u003eThe Girls I've Been\u003c\/i\u003e is the perfect read for you.\" \u003ci\u003e—BuzzFeed\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This action-packed story sizzles with suspense . . . In this thriller, characters prove that they can rely on their strength, friendship, and desire to be the confident and caring people they know themselves to be.\" \u003ci\u003e—School Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Sharpe (\u003ci\u003eBarbed Wire Heart\u003c\/i\u003e) focuses as much on [Nora's] trauma—and the systems of power that enable and excuse abuse—as on mystery and heart-pounding action . . . the small, complex cast of characters and emotional core make this a poignant thriller.\" --\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"The tension is absolutely nailbiting.\" \u003ci\u003e—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“A non-stop thrill ride… This book is so INTENSE. It jumps back and forth from the robbery in progress to Nora’s earlier life with her mother, a con woman married to a dangerous man. It’s so well done, extremely cinematic.” \u003ci\u003e—Book Riot\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“If you’re looking for a queer YA contemporary book with complex characters, loads of action to keep you reading WAY past your bedtime — and a story so well written I might have shed a tear over it — you need to read \u003ci\u003eThe Girls I’ve Been\u003c\/i\u003e by Tess Sharpe. It will keep you captivated until the last page.” \u003ci\u003e—Culturess\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Quick, full of plot twists and reveals that will have the reader on the edge of their seat . . . Strong female leads and well-written characters.” \u003ci\u003e—Screen Rant\u003c\/i\u003eBorn in a mountain cabin to a punk-rocker mother, Tess Sharpe grew up in rural California. She lives deep in the backwoods with a pack of dogs and a growing colony of formerly feral cats. She is an author and anthology editor, and has written several award-winning and critically acclaimed books for children, teens and adults.\u003cb\u003eChapter 1: August 8, 9:09AM\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was supposed to be twenty minutes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat’s what I told myself when I woke up that morning. It wouldbe just twenty minutes. We’d meet in the bank parking lot, we’d go in, we’d make the deposit, and it would be awkward, it would be so awkward, but it would be twenty minutes, tops.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI could survive twenty minutes with my ex-boyfriend and new girlfriend. I could handle the awkwardness. I was a freaking \u003ci\u003echamp\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI even got donuts, thinking maybe that would help smooth things over after last night’s make-out interruptus, which I know is downplaying what happened. I get fried dough can’t fix everything, but still. Everyone loves donuts. Especially when they have sprinkles . . . or bacon. Or both. So I get the donuts—and coffee, because Iris is basically a grizzly bear unless she downs some caffeine in the morning—and of course, that makes me late. By the time I pull up to the bank, they’re both already there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWes is out of his truck, tall and blond and leaning against the chipped tailgate, the bank envelope with all the cash from last night next to him. Iris is lounging on the hood of her Volvo in her watercolor dress, her curls swinging as she plays with that lighter she found on the railroad tracks. She’s gonna set her brush-out on fire one of these days, I swear to God.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“You’re late” is the first thing Wes says when I get out of my car.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I brought donuts.” I hand Iris her coffee, and she hops off the hood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Thanks.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Can we just get this over with?” he asks. He doesn’t even look at the donuts. My stomach clenches. Are we really back to this? How can we be back to this, after \u003ci\u003eeverything\u003c\/i\u003e?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI press my lips together, trying not to look too annoyed. “Fine.” I put the bakery box back in my car. “Let’s go.” I snatch up the envelope from his tailgate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe bank’s just opened, so there are only two people ahead of us. Iris fills out the deposit slip, and I stand in line with Wes right behind me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe line moves as Iris walks over with the slip, taking the envelope from me and tucking it into her purse. She looks warily at Wes, then at me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI bite my lip. Just a few more minutes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIris sighs. “Look,” she says to Wes, propping her hands on her hips. “I understand that the way you found out wasn’t great. But—” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat’s when Iris is interrupted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut not by Wes. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, Iris gets interrupted by the guy in front of us. Because the guy in front of us? He chooses that moment to pull out a gun and start robbing the freaking bank.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first thing I think is \u003ci\u003eShit\u003c\/i\u003e! The second thing I think is \u003ci\u003eGet down\u003c\/i\u003e. And the third thing I think is \u003ci\u003eWe’re all gonna die because I waited for the bacon donuts.\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46305506853093,"sku":"NP9780593353820","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593353820.jpg?v=1767739548","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-girls-ive-been-isbn-9780593353820","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}