Be the Girl was a fantastic, emotional and thought provoking young adult novel. It was a wonderful read, and extremely satisfying in every regard. Touching scenes, laugh out moments, and characters that I genuinely loved made this novel a true winner.

Be the Girl – KA Tucker

Be the Girl by K.A. Tucker

Almost sixteen-year-old Aria Jones is starting over. New postal code, new last name, new rules. But she doesn’t mind, because it means she can leave her painful regrets behind. In the bustling town of Eastmonte, she can become someone else. Someone better.
With the Hartford family living next door, it seems she will succeed. Sure, Cassie Hartford may be the epitome of social awkwardness thanks to her autism, but she also offers an innocent and sincere friendship that Aria learns to appreciate. And Cassie’s older brother, Emmett—a popular Junior A hockey player with a bright future—well … Aria wishes that friendship could lead to something more. If he didn’t already have a girlfriend, maybe it would.
But Aria soon finds herself in a dicey moral predicament that could derail her attempt at a fresh start. It is her loyalty to Cassie and her growing crush on Emmett that leads her to make a risky move, one that earns her a vindictive enemy who is determined to splinter her happy new world.

standalone | young adult novel | thought-provoking

my thoughts

Be the Girl – KA Tucker

There were so many things I loved and adored about this book.

Aria was this complex heroine, with a dark past, but still approachable and genuinely nice. Cassie, an adorable, hilarious, and unique character easily stole my heart. And her brother Emmet, a wonderfully swoony in a popular jock, guy next door kind of way hero was the perfect boyfriend material for any teenager. These three made up the heart and soul of this novel.

But the supporting characters were, as I’ve come to expect from this author, perfectly cast. All of them were down to earth kind of folks. The parents were protective and genuinely interested in their kids, a grouchy and dry humored uncle, a dog, and awesome teenagers that were undisputedly nice rounded up an awesome cast.

The ending came way too quickly for my taste. I wasn’t anywhere close to be done with this novel. And I could have easily read another 100 pages. Especially since Aria and Emmet just started out and I wanted/needed more of their relationship.

The one thing that irked me was the BIG secret that was hinted at, but never resolved until the very end. I just knew that it would wreck my heart and everybody else’s. I hate having these unrevealed issues looming over my head. I’ll be waiting throughout the entire novel for the other shoe to drop. I rather have this BIG OMG moment, one I don’t see coming until it’s too late, compared to a secret that’s being mentioned at the beginning but not revealed until the end.

Nevertheless, I’m a new fan of all things KA Tucker, and I just hope she writes fast – because I’m already ready for her next novel.