TBB ▲: REVIEW: SOME GIRLS ARE BY COURTNEY SUMMERS.

Title: Some Girls Are
Author: Courtney Summers
Edition: eBook
Published: January 5, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 246
Source: Amazon
Category:
Trailer: not applicable

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Synopsis:

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 in this dark new tale from the author of Cracked Up To Be.

*Could be spoilery.*

Some Girls Are is a total kickass!

Being kicked out of the popular Fearsome Fivesome group, Regina is a mess. Her former group makes her life in school a living hell just to pay for something she didn't do -- sleep with her best friend's boyfriend. Anna wouldn't listen to her at all because Kara brainwashed her that Regina did it on purpose. But the truth is, she was almost raped. Not saying anything, she battles her former group with a newly found friendship with Michael. She has damaged a lot of lives and the hell she's currently into is just what she deserves. But Michael is different -- he even tries to forgive her and rescue her.

This is my second Summers book and what do you know? Am seeing an awesome pattern here! Her protagonists are full of rage or yet broken and always THERE'S HARDCORE BULLYING. But they fight the hell back and that's what I loved about this novel. It has this simple premise but with an extraordinary take on bullying and friendship. I actually asked myself if this is really happening in real life and who knows? It could be which is frightening to be honest. If I went through all of this hell in high school, I wouldn't know how to handle it, I might probably have left the school altogether. I loved how Summers showcased what are the key points in handling terrifying events such as rape, peer pressure, drugs and physical abuse. YOU HAVE TO TELL SOMEONE. Though the protagonist didn't do it, the readers would definitely sense that she should have. Its like letting the readers know what the first thing they have to do in cases like this by letting the protagonist NOT do it. The fact that people would go to this extent to ruin others, I don't know.. its completely mean. I've watched documentaries worst than this but still, it gives me goosebumps to even think that other people have the guts to be evil. It's just wrong no matter how they justify it.

There are wrong group of friends. I've had some in the past and I've seen others go through the friendship without knowing how wrong it is. Regina obviously became too obsessed with the fame of her group and how they intimidate people but I am so glad that at the end, she saw how wrong she was -- how wrong her friendship was with the Fearsome Fivesome and how wrong she treat people. If Kara didn't spread the rumor about Anna's boyfriend, she wouldn't go through what she called hellhole and she wouldn't see the gravity of the situation. She wouldn't learn. Her character *from what I see* has insecurity issues and I am just so glad that even if it took while, she starts to accept how miserable and hateful she made people. She sees the right kind of friendship and thankfully, engulfs it.

I cannot reiterate how much I loathe Kara, Anna, Josh and Donnie. How in the world these people can wake up everyday and still feel good about themselves?

I don't completely understand how Regina ruined Michael but the little moments they had together sprinkled some light in this novel. I loved how Michael took care of Regina no matter how obnoxious she was to him. He saw through her! THROUGH HER MEAN PERSONALITY. It isn't everyday that a special person would accept you through your worst and still believe in the goodness of your heart. I liked how Michael defended her and how he gave himself a chance to forgive. This is the kind of romance one cannot easily forget. Yep. I want my own Michael.

Some Girls Are is a novel that opens up minds about how society really works. It plays dirty but the novel shows redemption and compassion that despite how dark our lives seemed to be and how mean the people towards us, there's a grain of kindness in everyone's heart. This novel just gave so much meaning to friendship.