Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

A gripping novel that had me hooked from the first page. Full of strong characters and a fantastic plot, The Girl Who is a book I'll be recommending to family and friends.

This is a captivating read that deals with difficult topics with such rawness and honesty. The story follows Leah, whose mother and sister were murdered in front of her, and her life in the aftermath of the tragedy, particularly when her father falls in love and brings in a new wife and stepfamily into the mix. The book was so good that I was engrossed from start to finish.

I thought this book was going to be something completely different but what it turned out to be was something that just blew me away. The story felt unusual but at the same time felt like something that could totally happen to you or another person. Well written, well told and a great cast of characters.

This is a stark and raw narrative about ‘the girl who’ witnesses something horrific and how she moves forward from that point of her life. Leah was only seven when her mother and sister were murdered in front of her. In the press and people’s minds she has always been ‘the girl who’ while none of them know the truth of how she feels. We meet Leah as a teenager and things have moved on. Her father has proposed to his girlfriend and they live together as a blended family, meaning Leah has to cultivate a relationship with Ellie, her new stepsister.

Leah’s way of coping is to avoid publicity and other people’s eyes on her. Her quiet exterior hides a determination for revenge. Ellie is her polar opposite, loving social media and vlogging from her bedroom. Leah hates her need to court attention. For people locally, Leah is representative of survival and they seem to assume she forgives the person who killed her family. There’s an almost saintly aura about her media persona. Underneath the smile she is angry and full of vengeful thoughts, the author tells this story with the two opposing voices of Ellie and Leah. They are opposite but the author has made them feel like real girls, not just a writing device. Of course they clash, but Leah starts to see how Ellie’s skills might be useful to her. Ellie realises that Leah is not as forgiving as people think, even while soaking up praise from friends and neighbours, What might Leah be capable of in her quest for vengeance? Will Ellie be able to help her?

This book has just enough twists and turns to keep me intrigued and I really did enjoy the characters of these girls. Both are likeable in different ways and I could understand why each of them had reached this point. I felt that people around Leah were very naive to think she might have grown up so well adjusted considering what had happened to her. Trauma does not go away and I think people’s acceptance of Leah’s facade of forgiveness did so just because it was more comfortable and convenient for them. These were well written characters and the author showed real understanding of the psychology of trauma.

A gripping, twisty thriller that feels extremely accomplished for a debut novel! The pacing is just right and the layers of tension gradually build. The multiple POV help to build empathy and iave it depth. A strong genre reader than teens will devour.

A delicious twisty thriller which had me guessing all sorts of quite horrific reveals, possiblities and outcomes. Thankfully the actual twist wasn't as evil as me ;) but it's nice to challenged by a book, especially when you read so many adult thrillers as well as YA ones. I also thoroughly enjoyed the survivor v hero v victim etc story.

This book is a huge case of wasted potential.

This should have been an examination of trauma, and of the unrealistic expectations that can be placed on young people, and how the two combined can have catastrophic effects on people’s mental health. Leah witnessed the murder of her mother and younger sister as a child. Since then she’s been the face of a charity focused on rehabilitation for young offenders, and a minor celebrity in her own right. That’s a Lot for someone to go through. There was an opportunity to dig deep into this, and Cordani just didn’t do that.

This should have also been an examination of fame, and the effects that can have on people’s personal lives. Leah is a minor celebrity through no fault of her own, which makes her personal privacy something that she and her father fiercely protect. Her step-sister Ellie is a YouTuber and social media influencer, who even gets requests to collab from other social media stars. Except we barely see any of Ellie’s interactions with social media, and barely any of her pov chapters dedicate any time to it. We’re told that it’s important to her, but it ultimately took up the equivalent of less than a couple of pages, and could’ve been excised from the book in its entirety without changing anything. There was the opportunity here to explore different kinds of fame, both wanted and unwanted, and the potential consequences of sharing too much about your life either with the press or online. And Cordani did nothing with it! Ellie’s rise to internet fame was the closest thing this book had to a subplot, and it would’ve been an excellent subplot, but as it is it’s not mentioned enough for me to feel like I can describe it as a subplot at all.

This should have also been about the difficulties that come with suddenly gaining a step-family. This is the theme that Cordani comes closest to actually exploring. Leah and Ellie’s initial dislike of each other was very girl-hatey which I didn’t enjoy at all, but the chapters near the end when they’ve finally clicked with each other and are working as a team are the best ones in the book. There’s a line from Leah where she makes the connection between her new step-siblings and the baby sister she saw die that was genuinely a great character moment! It’s a shame that it was just the one moment. This is the theme that Cordani came closest to actually exploring, yes, but that exploration was surface level at best.

There were also chapters from the pov of the killer, Boyd. His mental illness is never named, but was probably supposed to be schizophrenia. Probably. There were aspects of it that made me think that Cordani was actually aiming for something like DID or OSDD, but didn’t do any research, so really I couldn’t tell. People with mental illnesses are statistically significantly more likely to be the victims of violent crimes than the perpetrators, but that inconvenient fact never gets mentioned in this book, despite the decision to write Boyd in this way. I nearly dnf’d this book when I realised what Boyd’s deal was going to be. This isn’t okay.

There was no need to include the detail of Ellie’s mother’s friend being slightly homophobic, it was completely unnecessary. Also Cordani needs to talk to some real teenage girls. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone describe someone else as ‘bosomy’ before in my entire life.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say that people absolutely shouldn’t read this, but thinking about it makes me sad because to me it reads like the ghost of a much better story. You can probably skip this one.

How do you talk about Leah? You’re not sure, let’s start with an easier question. How would you describe Leah? Let me guess you’ll say, she’s the girl who… and then trail off. Who is Leah? These are all questions that you’ll have answered in this suspenseful new psychological thriller by Andreina Cordani.

In Short: Questions upon Questions + Trauma + Revenge

What really makes this story one you should read is one of my favourite parts of YA. It’s the fact that this book deals with some really heavy topics but in a really sensitive understanding way. How do you cope when you’ve seen your mother and sister slaughtered in front of you? How would you react knowing their murderer will soon be released, free to roam the world. On top of all of that though, how do you cope when your Dad marries someone else causing two families to merge. These are just a few of the elements that come up as you read through The Girl Who… and with each complication and story twist you’ll be left hanging and breathless.

This story is told from three different points of view. You have Leah who I’ve talked about above, who became the poster girl for her families charity after a tragic event when she was younger. You have Ellie whose Mum is marrying Leah’s Dad and is forced to uproot her whole life to fit around Leah and keeping her comfortable. Finally, you have Boyd aka ***The Crow*** the person responsible for murdering Leah’s Mum & Sister. All of these views come together to tell a really gripping story that I don’t really want to give away since I went in blind and for this book in particular I think it really benefits from it.

This might sound a little intriguing so far, but what if I told you that Ellie discovers Leah’s hiding a secret and she needs to figure it out before it’s too late. We’re told this layered story through flashbacks, different views and these opinions and looks into these characters lives really make the story all that more hard hitting and it feels like you’ve connected and grown to feel for these characters you’re reading about. The way this book is written is superb, I read it in two sittings being absolutely hooked. Though don’t just take my word for it! I lent it to a friend after I’d finished and she couldn’t put it down either and we both agree it had this way of just sucking you in right until the very end.

In conclusion. I think this is really worth picking up if you’re looking for a new book which will hold your focus and really give you a ride. I really enjoyed it and I hope you will too. (3.5/4 Stars)

I’m not sure whether ‘enjoy’ is the right word to describe this book. ‘Gripping’ and ‘harrowing’ might be more appropriate. I couldn’t put it down though.

When Leah was little she witnessed the murder of her mum and younger sister. Now a teenager, she lives in a protective bubble with her dad and now his fiancé & her two children. Dad runs a charity dedicated to forgiveness and helping youngsters at risk of getting caught up in a life of crime.

When step sister Ellie moves in, they certainly don’t see eye to eye. Ellie struggles to follow the “rules” around Leah but things between them become reality strained when she discovers Leah’s secret.

This compelling story was hard to read but the characters are well developed and I loved the contrast between the two girls. Being a victim is not easy but neither is being a survivor.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great YA thriller, a standalone, focused on a story that felt unusual but credible. It took the reader into the world of a creepy psychotic killer who had severe mental illness (there may be some triggers for people here). The book definitely whipped up some empathy from me for the killer and if you read it, I think you’ll understand why.

I thought it was clever to move forward in time to Leah, on the verge of adulthood, in a new blended family, plotting for something. Leah, although the victim, was super creepy at times and clearly understandably damaged by her experiences. Her new step sister Ellie brought the third POV (killer, Leah, Ellie) who ended up embroiled with things.

"I had two hours to kill before I risked my life to save the stepsister who hated me, and nothing else but play Bubble Quest and stare out of the window."

David won the award for one of the most annoying parents, notwithstanding his own traumatic experiences. The way he handled Leah and the new additions to the family made me irritated. Claire wasn’t much better but did have some redeeming features.

This was a twisty, sometimes dark, sometimes creepy, sometimes predictable read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had that page-turning feel and the need to get answers as the story played out. The Girl Who was a great debut from Andreina Cordani; I’ll definitely be looking out for a future release from her.

Thank you to Atom Books for the review copy.

The Girl Who... is a short and easy read. It's dark and twisty but packs a punch. Told from alternating view points so you truly get all sides of the story. It's an engrossing read!

The Girl Who follows the story of stepsisters Leah and Ellie, Leah is the survivor of a tragic attack who puts on a façade as the perfect daughter which Ellie slowly unravels as she finds out Leah’s dark secret.

The book is a short and quick read, I did like the writing style and it made me want to read on even though I thought the plot of the book was boring. Right from the start, the book reveals a lot of information and so there is no mystery to what has happened in the book, there is no suspense being built up and the story is kind of flat. The lack of suspense was also because the book is told through three perspectives including Leah and Ellie which means that there is little that is left unknown, it was kind of disappointing to have everything told/described.

Although I did like the characters, the book is really short and because everything is fast paced there is little time to connect to the characters and I would have liked more focus on the relationship between Leah and Ellie. The plot of the book is just as the synopsis states, so nothing was shocking or interesting in the book and just overall it was disappointing, the action that happens towards the end was rushed and the ending itself wrapped up things too neatly.

2/5

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

The Girl Who... by Andreina Cordani

🌼🌼🌼/5

TW// mental illness, death

When Leah was 7 years old she witnessed a troubled gang member kill her mother and sister while not leaving a mark on her. This tragic story pushed her onto the front line of the media and this has made her act like the “perfect” survivor with the protection of her father. Everything is not as it seems as Leah is hiding secrets about the death and now the killer has been released from prison, all she can think about is revenge.

Leah’s dads new partner moves in, along with her children- Ellie and Dylan. Ellie can sense something isn’t right with Leah but she can’t put her finger on it... until she finds plans hidden in an old teddy bear.

This was a classic YA thriller read!! I did really enjoy it and I felt the author dealt wirh trauma in a really good way. She explores how children struggle to process their emotions and these events can change their whole lives forever. It also explores serious mental health issues and brings these to light!

There is narration from Leah, Ellie and Boyd (the killer) and I feel these multiple narrations really built the story and I love getting different perspectives!

Thank you so much to Little Brown Book Group for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who is one of those books that I spent all day thinking about until I got chance to read it again. It's a dark, engrossing story about a new family, a girl who has survived a terrible ordeal and how that event will shape her actions.

I read this book fast because I was desperate to find out what Leah was planning and whether she would go through with it. The slow reveal of information definitely kept my interest.

I also thought the multiple narratives were very effective. Each felt distinct and added valuable insights to the overall plot. The main characters in this book all have layers that I enjoyed uncovering!

This is a pacy, thrilling debut that comes out tomorrow (12th January) and I'd highly recommend it to thriller fans!

Did not finish due to immediate misrepresentation of mental illness on the first pages. Very disappointed that this was allowed to be published and not flagged up during editing.

Looking at the existing reviews for this book i feel I'm in the minority with my thoughts for this book.
I really did not enjoy this.

I had such high hopes for this book as I have seen it a lot through social media, and it's supposed to be 'one to watch' for 2021. The pacing for this book felt incredibly slow, I didn't warm to the characters and by the end of it, I wasn't fussed about any of them. Not too great when your female protagonists are dealing with trauma, and therefore as a reader you should be empathetic. I think the lack of empathy I felt for the characters was its biggest downfall for me.

I liked the premise of the book, but I just don't feel the book lived up to this.
I can't really think of too many redeeming features for this book. Wasn't for me!

The title and blurb instantly intrigued me. I wanted to know what happened to this 'it' girl that everyone seemed to know about but somehow kept at arms length. Boy did this book keep me waiting to find out, but it was so worth the payoff when I did.

Don't be thrown by the slight changes in tense (actually reading the chapter titles help - I was a bit enthusiastic and had to go back and check them to understand why everything suddenly didn't follow), what a clever storytelling tool I didn't even think to pick up on.
Slowly through chapters set in the past, Cordani subtly feeds you the tragic tale so naturally you'll barely think of it, until the 'big reveal' and that 'ah-ha!' moment as you realise you sort of knew it all along.

Blended families as they're often called now are increasingly common, not always going as smoothly as one would hope. It's lovely to read a tale that has a happy ending of sorts, at least where the combined family is concerned.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication. It didn’t go quite as I expected, but it is definitely one I’d recommend reading.
When I first started reading I couldn’t make my mind up about either Leah or Ellie. These two had more in common than was suggested at the start, but it was a rollercoaster ride to get them to realise it.
Leah and Ellie are both reluctant to let the other get close. They have their reasons, and the hints at the secrets they were keeping totally lead me up the garden path in my thoughts of what might happen.
Their respective parents have got together so the family are at the awkward stage of adjusting to life together. Ellie is the life and soul of her world, while Leah is more circumspect. However, the narrative from Leah’s view shows us she’s not quite what she makes out.
It was clear that Leah was somewhat fixated on the events surrounding her dead mother and sister. She wanted revenge on the gang member who stabbed them, but her interactions with her family keep this hidden. Only as we near the end do we see just how dangerous her fixation could be.
I liked the split narrative as it kept just enough unclear to prevent it all being obvious, but it also helped us develop a less negative view of each girl. The inclusion of narrative from a third character was, initially, confusing but it became interesting to see the developing role this character played. Unfortunately, I’m not wholly convinced by the way things were resolved but I’m prepared to admit this was because I expected something so different.

A twist on the typical YA with a harrowing story. After reading adult fiction books with similar base plots, it was interesting to read the story unfolding for a teen.

The blurb pulled me in to read this book, with it being completely true to the story. As the reader, you are completely intrigued by the true story of what happened to "the girl who"

The timing was a bit confusing throughout the book, with no real description of events that give you an idea of how long it has taken for the story but I don't believe this affected my understanding of the story. The story being told from the perspective of both Leah and her new step-sister Ellie was perfect to set up the story but at times, they did both seem a little one dimensional

I enjoyed this read and it did pull me in, with me finishing it in a couple days. I would recommend it to any fan of young adult books that wants more than the drama of boys and gossip, with a adult real issue at hand

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the ARC, in return for an honest unbiased review.