“The Girls I’ve Been” , the thriller by Tess Scharpe tells the story of a teenager trying to lead a new life incognito.
you think you know me Wrong thought. Nora grew up alone with her mother. But her mother was a con artist who made it her job to steal money from criminals. Nora was thus psychologically manipulated by her mother at an early age, since she always had to play along with her and constantly had to change her character and appearance according to her wishes. Nora was supposed to be there to protect her mother and portray her as normal. But when there was no other way for Nora to escape from her life at the time and leave her mother with her, she did it. She went into hiding and hopefully only changed herself and her name one last time.
With this book, Tess Sharpe manages to keep the reader awake until the middle of the night.
Five years later, Nora finds herself in a complicated situation. She is at a bank with her ex-boyfriend and now-girlfriend to deposit money when suddenly she and her friends get involved in a bank robbery. She must use all of the skills from her former life to get herself and her friends out alive. Because Nora would do anything to survive. Nora tries to manipulate the perpetrators like her mother taught her. But can she do it? Two grown men each with guns against three teenagers? Do they even have a chance? Also, from time to time, all her secrets about her past with her friend come out. Is she alone now? Has she lost her friend forever now, or will she get another chance?
Tess Sharpe, born in Northern California, is an American author. She studied theater in the US before deciding to give it up and become a professional chef. During this time she began to write short stories and later screenplays. She has published several award-winning books for children, young people and adults.
The book always alternates between Nora’s past and the present, thus showing Nora’s character. It’s a thriller with an LGBTQIA love story. It’s action packed and you won’t be able to stop reading from page 50 onwards. With this book, Tess Sharpe manages to keep the reader awake until the middle of the night, because you always want to know what’s going on and how Nora and her friends will regulate the situation. In this book I felt all the emotions one could possibly have, from tears in my eyes to anger at the circumstances Nora had to live in. (from 13 years[AUTOR_ENDE])Ella Langenau[/AUTOR_ENDE] (13 )
Tess Sharpe: The Girls I’ve Been. Carlsen 2021. Translated from English by Beate Schäfer. 384 pages, 16 euros.