I really didn’t like this book. It fell very flat for me.
I wasn’t a fan of the characters or the writing.

I had quite high hopes for this one - as I find gymnastics an interesting and intense sport with a lot of scope for the plot of a thriller. I did enjoy that aspect of The Girls are Good rather a lot. However it was quite a slow burn and not completely compelling enough to make the slow burn work successfully. A bit of a mixed bag for me personally.

I found this book to be really gripping and thought provoking. The characters felt 3d and you could see what their motivations and their struggles were. The writing kept me hooked and i thought that this was the perfect length as it didn't overstay it's welcome. I liked how the setting added to the drama and it felt like the background was another character in parts too.

This book was a slow burner for me which is a shame as I was ready to fall into another good read after Changeling but you can’t win em’ all I suppose. It was a tough read in more ways than one, physically it was hard to read so I ended up going down the audiobook route and the subject it focused on was also a bitter pill to swallow. It shed a light on a side of being a gymnast I’d not thought about before and was at times eerily haunting.

A note of sadness hung in the air throughout this novel and it felt stifling sometimes because what the characters went through felt so unfair. The adults in the girls lives did them wrong and its frightening to think that parts of the book could be some people’s reality. The behaviour of the characters was very odd and some moments confused me by coming out of nowhere which led to the ending being a huge shock to me that made me reevaluate everything. It was scary and made me piece together other scenes as things began to make more sense.

At the beginning I thought it was going to be difficult to remember people’s names but it was actually easy enough. It wasn’t the type of book where you simply have to pick a favourite character, it was more so the type where you’re constantly try to figure out where things are going before it’s too late. I’m giving it one star out of five because it wasn’t my cup of tea, the writing style just dragged on a bit and I couldn’t get into it but that’s not to say you wouldn’t enjoy it (enjoy is the wrong word as its not that kind of a book but you know what I mean!).

I found myself reading the pages of this book, initially drawn to its promise of unraveling the mental and physical struggles endured by gymnasts. With a rating of 2.5 stars, it fell somewhat short of my expectations. Its opening chapter tantalizingly mentioned a murder, only to withhold its occurrence until the final stretch, leaving me in suspense.

The author skillfully wove a tapestry of words, meticulously crafting the environment to transport readers to the chilling realm of Romania. The vivid descriptions immersed me in an eerie atmosphere, amplified by the harsh cold weather that permeated each page. It was a testament to the author's ability to set a scene.

The female protagonist, a paradoxical blend of maturity and childlike demeanor intrigued me. Her complexities unfolded as the narrative progressed, evoking both admiration and confusion within me. It was an intriguing portrayal, though, at times, the character's development felt disjointed as if some crucial aspects were left unexplored.

Regrettably, the execution of the plot failed to reach its full potential. Anticipation built steadily, only to falter in its delivery. The promised climax seemed elusive, leaving me yearning for a more satisfying resolution. While the atmospheric world-building captured my imagination, the narrative lacked the cohesion necessary to immerse me in its depths fully.

In retrospect, I bestow upon this book the modest rating it received. Its intentions were noble, and the author's efforts were evident, yet it ultimately fell short of becoming the captivating tale it aspired to be.

What a strange book. I didn't hate it. It was a really quick read and very well written. I'm not sure I can really describe it. Enjoy isn't the right word, and nothing really happens until the last 10% but it was still definitely worth reading.

The Girls Are Good is an edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller that explores a dark and dangerous obsession. Ilaria Bernardini has created a captivating story about a group of young gymnasts competing for one week in a tournament that pushes them to their limits. Every girl is desperate to prove their worth and secure their place as the best, but their desires soon spiral into something darker and more sinister. When one of the competitors is found dead, it sets off a domino effect of backstabbing, betrayal, and suspicion that only intensifies as the mystery unravels.

Ilaria Bernardini skillfully develops each character, weaving a gripping story of suspense, deception, and manipulation. Her masterful pacing and powerful characterization creates a complex, emotionally charged story that leaves readers with a chill in their bones. The Girls Are Good is a haunting reminder of the devastating cost of ambition and obsession.

This book was such a powerful and disturbing read, but also one that it was impossible to look away from. I felt like I needed to pause to take a breath but immediately wanted to get back to it. It's a novel following a group of gymnasts competing and has very dark themes of sexual abuse and disordered eating but it felt a very honest portrayal of what can, and does, happen. I felt very attached to the main character and felt so fearful for her throughout the novel, I was willing her to be okay and wanting her to get out of this situation. This is a short powerful novel and one that really gets under your skin. This is definitely one that will stay with me.

I was obsessed with a book about teenage gymnastic troupes when I was growing up, so I was very keen to read The Girls are Good as soon as i heard about it, and I am very glad I did. The story is tightly put together, with excellent plotting and character development, as the girls fight to achieve ever greater status in the gymastics world. Reading about what these young women go through to achieve their dreams was heartbreaking, they work relentlessly, often in the face of physical and sexual abuse from coaches and assistants.
An important story that needs to be told.

The Girls Are Good is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out The Girls Are Good asap.

A difficult read about a group of young gymnasts, unfortunately inspired by the very real recent scandals of abuse in both US and UK gymnastics. I can't say I necessarily enjoyed this book but it was very well written and researched - it is a bleak portrait of the lengths and determination that gymnasts go to in order to achieve greatness.

This book is very dark and disturbing but I was intrigued as it is very well written. It does deal with some major issues with a sport. And the story was not what I was expecting at all but I still found myself unable to put it down. Definitely worth the read. Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are my own and honest.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This was a dark and disturbing read, so I can’t claim to have enjoyed it. It was well written though and certainly dealt with a difficult subject.

The Girls Are Good ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Martina is one of five young Italian gymnasts who travel to Romania with their coach and physiotherapist to take part in an international tournament, where their rivalry and obsession are tested to the limit.

I have always been in awe of what their bodies can do but never thought about the danger and sacrifices these young people make to get to the top of their game, not to mention the horrific mental, physical and sexual abuse that we now know many have to endure behind closed doors.

This is an uncomfortable but compelling and revealing look into the world of elite gymnastics, although it is a work of fiction it is inspired by the author’s time spent behind the scenes and really is brilliantly done

This is a gripping, if at times, disturbing novel showing the darker side of competitive gymnastic training. There are trigger warnings for child psychological and sexual abuse as the child athletes are failed and exploited by the adults that should have been responsible for ensuring their safety.

Though some of the subject matter is difficult and tough to read, I enjoyed the depiction of the gymnastic training, though this is often gruelling and painful for the competitors. The story is intriguing and the pace is good. The reveal didn't surprise me but it was still a page-turning read.

The first thing to say about this book is that it does cover quite graphic sexual & physical abuse. Please take that on board before reading this book.

The Girls is good is set amongst a team of gymnasts aiming for the Olympics. We follow them very closely over 7 days as they travel to Romania to compete. The girls are not good.

In my youth I watched the Olympics obsessively. One of my most favourite sports was watching the women’s gymnastics. I’m old enough to remember when Nadia Comineci scored the first perfect 10. I have followed gymnastics right to present-day stars such as Simone Bales.

The image portrayed, that we are perhaps sold is of these bright, beautiful things who can achieve extraordinary feats with their bodies. While watching I wasn’t in the least bit knowledgeable or concerned about the journey that it would’ve taken for these young women to access the top of the sport.

This book shows us the dark underbelly of what it actually does take. For the author this is a passion project. I understand it started as a film script & that there may well be a film in the offing. To be honest I do think this would play better as a mini series or as a film

The story is gripping, shocking, disturbing. You’re really in the minds of three of the girls with one being the key narrator. They are team yet they have both separate & team goals. They beat as one. They fight, scrap, bully, bitch with each other. They support each other. Separated from their families they are their own world.

Their “support” comes from a team coach & a physio. There’s no way around this - they are dreadful people. Glory is all that matters. Medals are all that matters. None cares if this leads to the girls being totally mentally & physically destroyed.

The denouement of the novel - we are signposted early on one girl will not make it to the end of the novel.

It’s a tough read. I’m not saying it’s not an important read. It’s a bit like watching the TV adaptation of The Girls & that abuse scandal.

There is no doubt that such abuse is all around us. Institutions have used girls & continue to use girls for centuries & spit them out at the end.

Since reading this book I have done a little bit of reading around the subject & was honestly truly, truly shocked. Nadia Comineci herself produced a biography & much of within this novel accords with what her & other gymnasts has spoken about. It obviously isn’t just confined to the sport nor is it just confined to sport.

What do I feel? I feel it an important story to get out there but I will really have to leave it up to you to work out whether this is a story that you can read at this time.

I say bravo to the author @ilaria__bernardini, to the publishers & those who have supported this book. If you can, read it & be informed.

This book has an excellent premise, and a brilliant concept - it's Athlete A meets Stick It!

The only downfall for me was that all of the plot took place in the last 25%. I wanted more of the physio, and I think the final reveal / twist could have been played out longer, dealing more into the detail and psychological breakdown of it all.

I felt there was too much time spent on the nastiness between the girls - it made me dislike ALL of them, whereas I wanted to be rooting for them.

Overall, I enjoyed it, and would recommend it, but for me - it missed the mark a little.

I think it is misleading to promote this title as a murder mystery/who dunnit type read, as this only really came into play at the end and wasn't a particularly important part of the plot, in my opinion. The real focus (and what I felt the author truly wanted to write about) was the abuse of child athletes. When reading I could tell that the book had been translated into English and there were some literal translations (for example the repeated refrain of someone 'having twigs in their mouth' as a reference to them suffering (I think) or calling their opponents 'dogs' when 'bitches' is a more widely used in English).

This book is very dark and disturbing. It examines the topics of abuse in the sports world. It is an very important read and should not be missed.

Such a fantastic, entertaining, dark read.
A really interesting premise and so well written - I would absolutely recommend if you enjoy thrillers.