Review: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers

Summary: Frozen out of her clique after vicious rumors circulate, Regina Afton takes solace in the company of Michael Hayden, a misfit whom she herself used to bully. Friendship doesn't come easily for these onetime enemies, and as Regina works hard to make amends for her past, she realizes Michael could be "more" than just a friend.

Wow. This book is: heartbreaking, intense, shocking, livid, honest-to-the-bone, and raw. One of the blurbs on the back of the book related Some Girls Are to Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Speak is one of my all-time favorite books. While I didn't like Some Girls Are as much as I liked Speak, I can see the similarities. I loved this book. I admit, the only reason I picked up this book was because of the cool cover. But I'm glad to say that that's not the only reason I like this book now. Many times throughout reading it my mouth dropped open at how cruel and insensitive high schoolers can be. I was raised in a private school, and was sheltered my entire life. I was picked on, but it was nothing compared to what Regina went through. The entire school hated her, she had raw meat all over her belongings, "WHORE" spray-painted on her locker door, got beaten up, and harassed day after day. If this is the way kids get treated in public schools, I am so glad I wasn't enrolled in one. Don't get me wrong: I loathed school, even though I got good grades. Regina is my new fictional hero: she stood up to her ex-friends and didn't take their crap when they mentally and physically abused her. She wasn't always strong and tough, but that's precisely what makes her more of a hero to me.

I was glad that Summers wrote the relationship between Regina and Michael the way she did. It was realistic because Michael wouldn't immediately forgive Regina for the way that she treated him (and Liz). Even at the end of the book, I got the feeling that he still didn't fully forgive her, though he was getting up to it.

I'm a little hesitant to give Some Girls Are a full 5 stars because I felt it lagged on in a few sections, but overall this book is a must-read for those who aren't the most popular girl in school.

This is the first book I've read of Summers', and I will totally be reading more of hers in the future.