The Girls I've Been — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
Not found
Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
Get the full theme breakdown in the app
Detailed evidence, confidence ratings, and source citations for every theme.
Download for iOSExample theme card
Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
“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 The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe. It will keep you captivated until the last page.” —Culturess
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 her 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 the 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 . . .
A FORBES, BUZZFEED, BOOK RIOT AND KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Frequently asked questions
Is The Girls I've Been appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The story includes present-day violence such as shooting, stabbing, choking, and punching, with some scenes described in detail. It also addresses past emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The book is described as a suspense thriller involving a bank robbery and hostage situation, which may be considered scary for some readers. The themes of past abuse also contribute to a tense atmosphere.
Does The Girls I've Been have violence?
The story includes present-day violence such as shooting, stabbing, choking, and punching, with some scenes described in detail. It also addresses past emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Does The Girls I've Been have scary content?
The book is described as a suspense thriller involving a bank robbery and hostage situation, which may be considered scary for some readers. The themes of past abuse also contribute to a tense atmosphere.
Does The Girls I've Been have religious themes?
No religious content or themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does The Girls I've Been have racial/cultural content?
No explicit themes of racism or race-related content detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does The Girls I've Been have profanity?
No profanity detected in the search results related to the book's narrative.
Does The Girls I've Been have climate change?
No climate-related themes or content detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does The Girls I've Been have sexual identity?
The book mentions past sexual abuse but does not describe it in detail. There are mild sexual activities depicted, including same-sex kisses and romantic dynamics between characters.
Does The Girls I've Been have gender roles?
No specific gender roles or themes related to traditional or modern gender roles detected in the book's narrative.
Does The Girls I've Been have lgbtq+ themes?
The main character, Nora, is openly bisexual, and there is a significant same-sex relationship depicted in the story. The narrative includes positive LGBTQ+ representation and explores themes of identity and relationships.
