I adored this weird little gem. Genuinely gripping from the very beginning and sparked lots of conversation in our house - would you pretend to be a dog 8 hours a day to earn thousands of dollars? Body horror was really grim in the very best way and the ending (IYKYK) really had my jaw on the floor. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

I predicted part of the ending because I have consumed similar movies and books before, but at the same time so much of this made me sick to my stomach. Also, the commentary on female autonomy through this disturbing story is BRILLIANT. If you like the movie Good Boy, definitely read this. 👏🏼

YO. Idk what I expected but it was not that but holy shit did I enjoy it. I was reading in the car on a roadtrip with my boyfriend's family and he kept being like "are you okay" bc I was visibly cringing and looking away repeatedly. I don't think I've ever read body horror that is so body horror but it was so well done, brava Mia! To me this story was really about reclaiming agency and what happens when we give into/listen to our most base animilastic instincts. I thought it was kind of beautiful how in the beginning Gia really had no sense of self and by the end she had gained one, no matter how strange it was. I think the only thing I found a little unrealistic was the pacing of it near the beginning, specifcally that I think he wouldn't have taken her captive immediately. Otherwise wow so good!

I… holy shit. If Tender Is The Flesh and Tusk (the Kevin Smith movie) and Hard Candy (Elliot Page’s first movie) were all smushed together into one novel, it would be this one.

I cannot stress this enough: this was disturbing. And I couldn’t stop reading. Take all of the content warnings seriously. However, if you’re willing to be uncomfortable, it was so interesting.

It’s a quick read. Mia Ballard cuts right to the chase and does not waste any words. Her storytelling is efficient and powerful.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

I pretty much read this book in one sitting and it’s not often that I do that!!! I love how the author included the CW in the beginning of the book.
This book is sad, gory and disturbing. The scary thing is that it makes you question how far people take advantage of others who are experiencing financial hardships.

4.5/5 stars

Instagram review posted on 2/17/25

My Review is currently published on Goodreads.
Review was published on 3/12/2025.

“Shy Girl is truly one of a kind. My expectations were high, and it did not disappoint! So many women can relate to the survival instincts Gia had to learn at the hands of an evil man. I appreciate the message of owning the power that was once taken.

The peculiarities and descriptiveness kept me intrigued throughout its entirety. As someone who enjoys outlandish plotlines, I devoured this book at 3AM. If the words female rage, revenge, and horror pique your interest, you will LOVE Shy Girl.

Please check your TW!

Thank you to Net Galley and Mia Ballard for the arc! 🩵🐩”

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7346704252

Such an amazing novel. This is most definitely going to be in my favorite reads of this year.

It has the same vibes as NIGHTBITCH and I adored that story.

I don't want to share too much about the story and plot because I had an amazing time going into the book without knowing a thing. I would recommend doing the same but definitely look at the content warnings.

I quickly fell in love with the MC and grew attached to her during traumatic experiences. I appreciated the character growth she went through and how the author showed the different ways people adapt to abuse in order to survive.

Great work! I'm definitely going to continue to read all the books this author publishes.

🎶 𝚆𝙷𝙾 𝙻𝙴𝚃 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙾𝙶𝚂 𝙾𝚄𝚃?! 𝚆𝙷𝙾? 𝚆𝙷𝙾? 𝚆𝙷𝙾? 𝚆𝙷𝙾? 𝚆𝙷𝙾? 🎶

This was totally batshit, and I was SAT for it. My only critique is that it did take a hot minute for things to get going (plot wise) but once they did, I was foaming at the mouth to see what was to come next. Everything I went in wanting, I got. I will now read everything Mia Ballard writes.

side note: me and Gia are actually so alike that it scares me

Wow this was a strange and dark and fun and fucked up book. I loved it. Will read anything Mia Ballard writes.

Crazy - like nothing I have ever read but the main character was impeccably executed. Her neurodivergence takes a special talent to pull off, one I am grateful for.

Horrifying, eye-opening. I will never forget it.

Shy Girl was an engrossing, intense, and stomach-turning read that delves into the depths of despair and the ferocity of female rage, but just didn't have the staying power I'd hoped it would. I'm also undecided on how I feel about the ending, it felt a bit rushed and not wholly satisfactory. The story though, especially once you've reached approx. 1/3 of the way in, will have you hooked!

Thank you Victory Editing & NetGalley for this eARC, Shy Girl (pub: 3/1/2025) is out now!

I give Shy Girl by Mia Ballard 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐💫

Mia can do no wrong. Her writing gets better with every book and this one was the most disturbing of them all! Can’t wait for the next one.

thanks to netgalley for the arc!

—————
3.5/5
i was so close to dnf’ing this at 40% but i’m very glad i persevered.

shy girl was somewhat of a challenging read up until the 50% marker, the protagonist is not very likeable and the representation of OCD borders on offensive at points. the same phrases are overused (e.g ‘the room was silent other than…’, ‘this gives me control/rationalises etc’, ‘unreadable expression’), which got quite tiring and led to my almost not finishing.

BUUUUT- it gets pretty juicy halfway through when the big thing happens. the descent into pure horror, gore and viscera was a gripping, addictive read. the writing seemed to get better as the story progressed, particularly when it got gory or gross- i really enjoyed reading the latter half despite some of the issues i have with plot holes or unanswered questions.

some of it was unrealistic in my initial post-reading thoughts, maybe i’ll remember why later but right now i can’t remember haha.

overall, an enjoyable read if you can ignore problematic and juvenile understandings of OCD in the first 50%. stick around for the blood, guts and female rage :-)

Shy Girl by Mia Ballard absolutely consumed me. This dark, unsettling, and strangely emotional story follows Gia, a lonely and deeply anxious woman battling OCD, depression, and financial ruin. Desperate for a way out, she turns to a sugar dating site and meets Nathan — mysterious, wealthy, and offering a deal that seems too bizarre to be real. All Gia has to do is live as his devoted pet, and her debts will disappear. Sounds simple, right? Spoiler: it’s not.

What I loved most about this book was how Ballard made Gia’s downward spiral feel so believable. The way her mind shifts as she becomes more animalistic — losing pieces of herself — is written with such eerie detail. I felt her anxiety creeping off the page, and watching her grapple with her own identity was both heartbreaking and mesmerizing. Nathan is equally fascinating — manipulative and intense, yet somehow impossible to look away from. Their dynamic is dark and twisted in all the best ways.

Ballard’s writing is sharp and immersive, pulling me deeper into Gia’s world with every chapter. The tension never lets up, and by the time I reached the ending, I was sitting there just staring at the page, trying to process what I’d just read. It’s haunting, it’s gripping, and it’s a story that will stick with me for a long time. If you love dark, psychological reads with complex characters and an emotional gut punch, Shy Girl is an absolute must-read.

Do not be fooled by the pretty cover; this is a disturbing, violent, gore-filled feminine rage story about the sacrifices and transformation that women are forced to endure for their freedom.

I won’t say much here about the plot because this is a short book that is only really told through scenes that dramatically push the story forward. What I will say, is that this book does a great job at making the reader question reality vs symbolism. Gia’s animalistic transformation is heartbreaking and revolting, but, in a frightening way, it’s also empowering.

I loved every page of this book and I thought Ballard’s writing style was perfect for the type of material being presented. The imagery was perfection. I was on the edge of my seat at the end of every scene and I truly didn’t expect things to get so gruesome.

There were only two things that I struggled with a bit while reading this and I easily overcame both of them. I loved Gia, but I felt like we didn’t really get a good sense of her personality, desires, thinking process, etc. But I also don’t know if that was necessary. Looking back, having Gia seem a bit more detached made it much easier to put myself in her shoes. She is a representation of all women so it makes sense to leave her more of a blank canvas. The second thing, was a twist a different character at the end. I thought it was a bit cringy and didn’t make sense, but when I really stopped to think about it, it made perfect sense given the way abusers are so good at gaslighting.

Overall, I think this book was a great addition to women’s horror. I can’t wait to read Ballard’s other book and see what else she writes. Easy 5-star from me.

*Huge thanks to Mia Ballard, Galaxy Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for honest review*

When Gia is down on her luck, desperate and jobless, she considers becoming a sugar baby. After meeting the first man that reaches out to her, she ends up agreeing to be his "pet." The agreement may be more than she bargained for as she becomes less Gia and more animal.

Shy Girl is profound and visceral, and not for the faint of heart. I found myself needing to take a break half way through and I think Ballard touches on so many raw aspects of what it means to be a woman. What it takes to survive and how women are often forced to appease and conform in dire situations. Gia's trauma is palpable throughout Shy Girl's pages and you'll be holding your breath to the very last page.

Absolutely disturbing.
Make sure to check trigger warnings, in fact, if you have anything you avoid, maybe skip this book.
I read it in a day.
Ten stars.

What a book to read on International Women’s Day lol.

Give me all the feminine rage, no matter the situation. This was my first introduction to Mia Ballard’s work and I was so pleasantly surprised with how captivated I was from the first page. The anxiety and general sense of unease was palpable through the pages, and you could feel the isolation and the desperate need for survival Gia was experiencing. I loved the twist at the end and did not see it coming. Big trigger warning for body horror, which I wasn’t expecting to take up that much space in the story. This book was an experience and I enjoyed it. I’ll definitely be thinking about it for a long time.

5 WOOFS!
Visceral, brutal, and bonkers.

Shy Girl! Holy shit. This book is a wild ride of disgusting, disturbing, and rage-filled catharsis. Ballard nails the terrifying reality of her narrative. Nathan is all the things I hate about men.

If you loved Nightbitch, you need this in your life. A brilliant, brutal addition to the weird horror genre.

Thank you NetGalley, Mia Ballard and Galaxy Press for this ARC.

A little too overwritten for me, but that comes down to personal taste as others may find the writing beautiful.
The escalation of something initially mundane reminds me of LaRocca's work. The story presents a well deserved and prepared finale, though the OCD rep gets left behind.