The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
Oof! This one is…dark. The story is basically about means girls doing mean things to a nice girl and ruining said nice girl’s life. Mental abuse, bullying, social climbing, backstabbing, these are the sorts of themes we cover. But without the protagonist having any real reason to be so mean, I felt just…really, really sad while reading it. And without there being anything remotely redemptive or hopeful, was hard for me to understand the characters and go along with their choices.
The story follows Amb in two timelines: now, in which she’s married to a great guy and goes to a college reunion after receiving a sinister note; and the past, in which the story of what Amb did unfolds.
I think readers who enjoy books about toxic female friendships and bullying may enjoy this one, as it is a twisted, dark and compelling story, told with a keen eye toward plotting and a fun YA tone of voice. I’ll definitely look out for future books.
