some girls are by Courtney Summers

Regina Afton is part of the Fearsome Fivesome, the most popular clique in school. They are feared and revered by the students at Hallowell High, and Regina hasn't spared anything - or anyone- in her climb up the social ladder. But climbing it isn't as hard as falling from it. One night, one party changes everything, and soon, vicious rumors are spread about her and her best friend Anna's boyfriend. As Regina tries to recover from that disastrous night with almost more disastrous consequences, her ex-best friends declare her "out", and are looking for revenge. But the truth isn't in the rumors, and as each day progresses, the rumors and bullying get more intense. She seeks solace in the comfort of a misfit, Michael Hayden, who she used to bully, and friendship does not come easily for the two of them. As Regina tries to make amends for her previous mistakes, she realizes that Michael has been there all along, and suddenly he could be so much more than just a friend. As threats from the new Fearsome Foursome get worse, she realizes that their actions could affect everyone she now holds dear, and has to make a decision: save herself? Or save the ones she loves? Tensions grow and the abuse worsens as the final days of senior year come to a explosive conclusion.

Courtney Summers has done a great job describing the turbulence of high school bullying. Every school has its cliques, with the mean girls and the victims, and this story is no exception. Every character is complex and conflicted with hidden problems that really make people wonder what people are like under their outlying facade. Regina is shallow, but underneath the guise, she agonizes over the horrible thing she has done. Michael is a truly good person, and as he supports Regina with unfailing conviction, you understand why Regina starts to like him. Anna is shallow and selfish, with an agenda to control everything in the school. Her abuse of Regina compels me to wonder how a girl could be so venomous. Kara and Donnie honestly disgust me with their appalling behavior, and although I can understand Kara's inner conflict, she still goes to enormous lengths to torture everyone else. This book satisfied me, and I can't help but ponder the outrageous actions of some people to an event that will not really matter. Summers managed to make me feel all of the anger, desperation, exhaustion, loneliness, fear, exaltation, and hope that the characters feel. She delves into the gritty, dangerous world of high school with honesty and a painfully real perspective. Her portayal of the sometimes twisted, mean, brutal, and tormented space that is the mind of a teenage girl is uncomfortably real, but accurate. She spins a wonderful tale of strength through the hardest times.

Rating: 4 1/2 stars