‘Girls Write Now’. It sounds clever until you remember that girls have been writing for a while—the first novel ever written was authored by a woman, after all, and many historic female authors (such as Jane Austen and Mary Shelley) finished full-length novels before reaching adulthood. 

Come to think of it, the title’s secondary connotation isn’t entirely accurate, either—this compilation does not represent young girls right now as it includes articles written as far back as 1998. Did the editors of this compilation struggle to find enough worthy contemporary entries? I realise that the book’s by-line is ‘Two Decades of True Stories from Young Female Voices’, but in my opinion two decades is too broad. The experiences are too disparate and it results in a book without a common voice. 

This is only worsened by the inclusion of contributions from older, more experienced writers. I realise from a publishing viewpoint established names can attract more readers than relative unknowns, but I don’t think it helps the actual text any. The reader can’t help but compare the work of the inexperienced young contributors (which makes up the bulk of the book) to that of their more experienced counterparts (who typically only contribute a paragraph or two). 

Not only is the literary technique underwhelming, but the content is too. Most of the girls’ stories lack punch - they have struggled to evoke emotion, so I struggle to care. And when I do find a compelling contribution, it almost always ends far too abruptly. I'm not sure whether this is due to particularly harsh editing (they did have to fit two decades' worth of work in one book, after all) or whether the authors simply started strong and then ran out of steam after only a paragraph or two, but it really made the whole exercise seem pointless. Why should I spare the time to read your work when you can't spare the time to make it a length worth reading?

(Yes, I realize that length is not an indicator of literary value, and that there have been brilliant works written with only a few scant words. These works are not of that caliber.)

It's possible that the entries are short because they are samples and are meant to be read as such (in which case, I would ask the editors to choose extracts with more care). This whole book should be 'sampled', not consumed like a fiction title. When you read the contributions chronologically you find that there are no stand-out pieces; they blur together and become all the blander for it. But if you sprinkle them amongst your other reading material like nuggets of truth from a rarely heard perspective you appreciate them more. (Most of the time).

If I am being overly harsh it may be because I had high hopes for this book, and disappointment is souring my words. It is so rare that young women get showcased in this manner that this book feels like a wasted opportunity. I hate to think that someone might pick up this book and conclude that young women have nothing meaningful to say after all. This book needed to be exceptional, and it just wasn't. It's good... but good isn't good enough.

A collection of very personal narrations that vary in length, narration, point of view and come from all walks of life, which I love and embrace with both arms wrapped tightly. However, if the stories were grouped or organized differently, the book would be much more approachable. Also, since the lengths vary, the book can be picked up or put down at will. And if the last story read didn't really hook you, it takes a long time to pick the book up again. There are a lot of very short reads, so perhaps longer and fewer may have been a better way to collect the stories for maximum impact of what is happening in the young women of right now.

I received an ARC via netgalley for an honest review.
Here's my (probably) slightly controversial review...
As a Girls school librarian I really wanted to love this book, but, I just didn't.  
I believe in its worth but I wanted more from most of the stories...  I thought the writing was excellent and I just wanted more.  I felt as if each story was just and opening chapter with no conclusions, so whilst the 3 stars may seem harsh I just had high hopes for this and it just didn't deliver enough.
I would still probably hold a copy in the school library and encourage students to look at it and make their own decisions - hopefully some will disagree with me!

A nice addition to a YA library, specially as it focuses on stories about diverse girls by the girls themselves. A good read to spark debate among teens. My only negative is that the stories feel a bit  old.

This is a powerful collection of narratives written by a diverse group of young women. However, this compilation would have had a stronger impact if the essays were grouped by theme. The essays cover issues that run the gamut from the ending of a friendship to systemic racism in our society. Yet they appear to be arranged in no apparent order. Additionally, there were a number of grammatical errors, which is a drawback for educators seeking to use these essays as examplars in the classroom.  Ultimately, this is a worthy publication that features admirable young females writers using their voices to tell stories that are more important than ever.

Highly recommend!  You had me at Roxanne Gay.  This is a great read that I will definitely recommend when working at the reference desk!

Filled with multi-cultural stories from girls living in the United States, the stories all share common themes of teenage angst, family issues, fitting in/self-image and more.  These teenage authors write with exquisite voice and prose in a relatable format for teen readers.  I can't wait to recommend this book to my readers.  #netgalley #girlswritenow

Sectioned off by quotes from strong female writers like Roxane Gay, Zadie Smith, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, this collection of girls’ letters is both heartening and heartbreaking. 
Authentic, strong (although insightful and empathetic) girls voice their thoughts on having a voice, independence, and maintaining identity. 
This book would be a powerful weapon in the hands of a female teen — I know I myself could have used a strong female influence from a book of real writers with lives similar and different from my own. They’d have spoken to me: “It’s okay if you’re going through this and it’s okay if you’re not—what matters is YOU being you, not being what everyone else wants.” I needed to hear that daily as a teen, even though in reality I did not. 
I think this read will be powerful for young readers, but even as an adult I found it meaningful and inspiring.