What Kind of Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Jan 08, 2020 sarah xoxo rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, 2020-read, contemporary

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

'What Kind of Girl' is the type of book that has the ability to deeply affect many people. This book impacted me in a visceral way, and I can tell that I will be left thinking about it long after I closed the last page.

One of the main reasons I loved this story so much was the raw emotions it pulled from me, as well as the ways it made me question my own morals. That in itself is one of my favourite parts of reading. Simply through experiencing another's life for a few ...more

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Aug 18, 2019 Tijana rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc

3.5 stars
ARC provided via Netgalley. Thanks, guys!

Hey, you!
You reading this book's reviews!
Stop it! Stop it immediately!
Okay, you can read mine, now that you're here, because I promise I'll keep it clean and spoiler-free.
Which is quite hard, considering even telling you the characters' names is a spoiler.
Basically, this books tells the story through the eyes of the abused girlfriend, the most popular girl in school, the pothead and the bulimic girl.
The writer leaves it up to you to figure ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 MissBecka rated it liked it

Shelves: netgalley-books-read, kindle-already-done, 2020-books-i-read

I loved how part #1 unfolded; revealing different POVs a tiny bit at a time.
I do wish that the author had changed the format starting with part #2.
I think it would have worked better for me.
Obviously this is a difficult topic to address with class as well as reality.
I think the author did a good job of accomplishing both.
The book seemed to drag a bit for me and I would have liked a little better pacing throughout.
Overall a okay read.
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for my DRC.

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Jan 12, 2020 Kathryn Speckels (Metaphors and Miscellanea) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs

What Kind of Girlis one of those books that, regardless of your opinions on its execution, you have to acknowledge isvitally important for its willingness to openly address difficult social phenomenathat society likes to sweep under the rug. It is a heavy read, but in a necessary way, not the maudlin sort of sob-story that is an inherent risk of writing about so many serious issues that teens face today.

“Doing something when you’re scared is braver than doing something when you’re not.”

It’s hard What Kind of Girl is one of those books that, regardless of your opinions on its execution, you have to acknowledge is vitally important for its willingness to openly address difficult social phenomena that society likes to sweep under the rug. It is a heavy read, but in a necessary way, not the maudlin sort of sob-story that is an inherent risk of writing about so many serious issues that teens face today.

“Doing something when you’re scared is braver than doing something when you’re not.”

It’s hard to summarize this story, because of some “clever” narrative devices the author tries to use (more on those in a moment). All you need to know is that, when Mike Parker’s girlfriend comes to school with a black eye and says Mike gave it to her, her life–and the lives of her best friend and several others–are about to be changed in a major way. Some believe her, some don’t, but all seem to agree that something happened, and someone has to face consequences.

“Bad love is no better than not being loved at all. I think it might be worse.”

Writing about problems like mental illness, relationship abuse, and eating disorders is not uncharted territory for YA novels. A defining trait of YA is the desire to shine light on teenagers as whole, complex people facing problems of their own–whether those problems are overthrowing a corrupt government (a la The Hunger Games), combatting racism (as in The Hate U Give), or fighting drug addiction (like Crank and other Ellen Hopkins books). In the case of What Kind of Girl, though, Alyssa Sheinmel casts a wide net that encompasses multiple very real, very weighty, very complicated problems, and articulates the often-confusing interplay between various situations, symptoms, and comorbidities. Problems like self-harm and bulimia are not just alluded to but described in painful (though not romanticized) detail, through the constantly over-analyzing eyes of the teenagers who struggle with them. The main characters ruminate over their every choice, about “what kind of girl” their actions will brand them as in the eyes of others–when reduced to the simplistic terms of others’ opinions, how can you possibly hope to feel fully understood?

“I shouldn’t be feeling sorry for him! What kind of woman am I, worrying about what he’s going through? What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t?

And, truly, the character development is handled wonderfully. Here we have teenagers who struggle to find their places amidst pressures to succeed academically, to have the perfect relationship, to look perfect, and to always make the right choices, even when there isn’t truly a “right choice” to be made. They hurt deeply and care deeply in that way that only teenagers are able to, when the problems they face are so narrow and specific and omnipresent and acutely crippling as a result. They second-guess themselves, blame themselves, hurt themselves, while doing all of those to each other was well. They are multifaceted and self-aware, but they also struggle to make the necessary choices for personal growth.

“That’s the kind of person I want to be…I just don’t know if I’m strong enough to do all the things I want.”

For all its success in narration and character development, though, What Kind of Girl does have its fair share of flaws. Its pacing is sometimes difficult to work with, dragging for long sections while characters are lost in their own thoughts. Although these thoughts are crucial to establishing the characters’ internal turmoil, they get unnecessarily prolonged in some places, especially in moments that would otherwise be incredibly tense, causing the narrative to stall when it needs to accelerate.

“What kind of girl doesn’t want to get the guy in trouble? Maybe the kind of girl who stays with a guy for three more months after the first time he hit her.”

My other frustration was with the author’s choice of structure for the first two parts of the book, refusing to name the girls in the story at first and instead referring to them by labels like “the popular girl,” “the girlfriend,” and “the best friend.” She has a reason for doing this, which makes sense in the context of the story, but the author overplays her hand at the start, foreshadowing the “twist” too heavily–I caught on almost right away–and confirming it too early, which weakens its effectiveness as a narrative device.

“I didn’t really see why it was less significant because it happened in high school, when we all had our lives ahead of us. If we were talking about anything else–drugs, drinking, sex–it would have been a bigger deal because we were only in high school, because we had our whole lives ahead of us, because the things that happened now would impact our futures.”

Still, even despite its flaws, this is a significant book for teenagers everywhere–especially teenage girls–as they fight to maintain their sense of self amidst the shifting tides of their social lives and the oft-contradictory elements of their personalities that develop as a result. It is easy to render teenagers as simplistic, self-absorbed thinkers, but in her writing, Sheinmel is keenly attuned to the fierce-yet-fearful flutterings of teenage anxieties, and to the agitation for justice that thrums beneath the surface, no matter how difficult the two may be to reconcile. This book is a testament to the fact that, even as everyone is one-of-a-kind, nobody is ever so simple as to be just one kind.

TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS: abusive relationship, slut-shaming, vivid description of cutting/self-injury, teenage drug use, anxiety, OCD, bulimia ...more

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Jul 31, 2019 Amber (The Book Bratz) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, mental-health-reads, 2019-reads, young-adult, wish-list, reviewed, ownovoices

The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

*Trigger Warning: depictions of dating abuse, bulimia, self harm & drug use*

It has been a few days since I have read What Kind of Girl and I am still speechless. What ever I write here will not do this book one ounce of the justice and praise it deserves in the slightest. I loved this book with all my heart, I loved the subjects is brought up, the way the author addressed them and the message that there is light at the end of the The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

*Trigger Warning: depictions of dating abuse, bulimia, self harm & drug use*

It has been a few days since I have read What Kind of Girl and I am still speechless. What ever I write here will not do this book one ounce of the justice and praise it deserves in the slightest. I loved this book with all my heart, I loved the subjects is brought up, the way the author addressed them and the message that there is light at the end of the tunnel. What Kind of Girl is one of those books that impacts you and leaves you thinking about this issue and these characters even after you read the last page.

The book is told in two POVs. Mia whose boyfriend has been abusing her for months and suffers from bulimia and June, Mia's best friend, who suffers from severe anxiety and self harms. Both girls stories are complex and heart wrenching. Having gone through some of these issues myself, it was easy to relate to both of these girls. To feel there anger, pain, the hopelessness in the situations they are in.

Mia with a bruise on her face, walks into her principals office and accuses her boyfriend, Mike Parker of hitting her. But Mike is the most popular guy in school and him and Mia are the "it" couple. Sides are taken and not everyone believes Mia. Throughout the novel we watch Mia struggle with the acceptance of Mike's actions, whether she still loves him or not and was it her actions that caused Mike's actions. Since dating Mike, Mia has become extremely unhappy with her body and began to force herself to throw up and skip meals. It isn't until later on in the novel does she acknowledge it as as an eating disorder.

June, is Mia's best friend. After everything with Mia and Mike she decides to stage a protest for Mike's expulsion, since it seems he is only going to get away with this with a slap on the wrists. June's character is the one I related to the most. She suffers from bad anxiety and self harm tendencies. The way Sheinmel explains and treads with the discussion of June's anxiety, how she feels, the physical symptoms, the mental, the obsessive thoughts, the intrusive thoughts. I've never seen anxiety represented almost exactly as I have experienced before. (I've never understood when readers explain how they feel seen within a novel, but with What Kind of Girl I feel seen and heard and that I am not a lone.)

What Kind of Girl brings up important discussions that are needed to be have in the world of young adult novels. People often relate domestic abuse to older people. But what about younger people? It isn't just visible bruises and injuries. It's the little things as well. We see how Mike pinches Mia, grabs her a little to tight, how he is manipulative. For me, I feel like this book is going to be an eye opener for many readers.

Overall I really enjoyed What Kind of Girl and I hope others who read it do as well. Sheinmel's writing style and language is both beautiful and stunning and is going to leave her readers wanting more. The ending was left a little open ended, but I didn't mind it as much. The self acceptance and the recovery that both girls are working towards was enough for me.

What Kind of Girl is not to be missed in 2020 and I hope everyone takes away the message that Sheinmel's giving her readers. ...more

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Dec 24, 2019 Stacy Fetters rated it really liked it

"With our whole lives ahead of us, we had a lifetime for things to get worse."

We never really know what’s going on in people’s lives but we are always ready to make assumptions. No matter if we know them or not, we guess or hear rumors and go with what sounds truthful. But what you hear or think might not be accurate. This book travels through those and sets the record straight.

Maya walks into school on Monday and goes into the Principal’s office. Her black eye should clue the Principal in on ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 Obsidian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Trigger warning: Abuse, self-harm, bulimia
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

I think this book did a very good job of showcasing how domestic violence can occur with teens. The last time I recall having a big discussion about this was when that Lifeftime movie starring Fred Savage and Candace Cameron called "No One Would Tell" that followed a young couple in love, but the boy in questions starts abusing the girlfriend. That movie showed Trigger warning: Abuse, self-harm, bulimia
Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

I think this book did a very good job of showcasing how domestic violence can occur with teens. The last time I recall having a big discussion about this was when that Lifeftime movie starring Fred Savage and Candace Cameron called "No One Would Tell" that followed a young couple in love, but the boy in questions starts abusing the girlfriend. That movie showed how many people knew what was going on and how more people should speak up when they suspect someone they love is being abused. That said, the book's switching POVs among several teen girls was distracting and caused me to not engage as much as I should have while reading. Everything is eventually revealed, but I felt myself slightly annoyed because this book really didn't need a gimmick.

"What Kind of Girl" shows the different people who are linked together after one of the most popular boys at North Bay Academy, Mike Parker, is accused by his girlfriend of him hitting her. The book follows different teen girls in this one with them only being identified as "the girlfriend," "the popular girl," "the bulimic," and "the pothead." Eventually the author reveals who is who in this one.

I didn't get a very good sense of the male in this story, Mike Parker. He's obviously abusive, but the book chooses (rightfully so) to focus on the teen girls in this story and the widening sides at the school with those who don't believe Mike hit his girlfriend and those that do. The girlfriend chapters were the best in my mind. That said, I just got tired of jumping around after a while. When the book reveals who is who though it was much easier to read in my opinion. It just felt very gimmicky and I don't think the book needed that, that's the main reason I gave this book three stars. The book also starts to read as repetitive after a while. When Sheinmel reveals who the girls are in the book things become clearer, but I think that could have been dealt with better earlier. I can see this turning off some readers after a while with them not wanting to wade through all of this.

The setting of this book is North Bay Academy. Through the multiple POVs you get the sense the school is diverse, but also has a lot of wealthy classmates mixed in with many people, the principal included, shocked that Mike could hit anyone. And of course there are a lot of people questioning why "the girlfriend" put up with it then. I thought this book tackled a lot of strong subject matter well, and others a little rushed. I think it was good though that we have a young adult book talking about abuse between younger people. I think the last young adult book that did that I read was Sarah Dessen's "Dreamland."

The ending was okay, the book really didn't grab me much except when I was trying to work out the connection between all of the girls in this one. ...more

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Jul 02, 2019 lovebooks rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Great young adult book! What Kind of Girl is about teens in high school and the struggles they go through daily. Popular guy Mike’s girlfriend goes to the principals office to report he’s hit her causing a black eye. This is where the students take sides. Why didn’t she tell anyone this has been going on for months? Why didn’t she leave him? People are wondering if this is true or just for attention. This book deals with a lot of important stuff. Bulimia, abuse,self harm. I think it is a very ...more

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Jul 09, 2019 PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps rated it it was amazing

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of WHAT KIND OF GIRL by Alyssa Sheinmel in exchange for my honest review.***

4.5 STARS

After months of abuse, Maya finally tells her principal that her boyfriend Mike, school Golden Boy, hits her. Soon everyone at school has an opinion including Junie, the best friend Maya never told. Junie has her own problems with anxiety disorders and her girlfriend and the two friends aren’t as close as before Mike. Junie plans a rally to get Mike ***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of WHAT KIND OF GIRL by Alyssa Sheinmel in exchange for my honest review.***

4.5 STARS

After months of abuse, Maya finally tells her principal that her boyfriend Mike, school Golden Boy, hits her. Soon everyone at school has an opinion including Junie, the best friend Maya never told. Junie has her own problems with anxiety disorders and her girlfriend and the two friends aren’t as close as before Mike. Junie plans a rally to get Mike expelled, but Maya isn’t certain what she wants.

Alyssa Sheinmel blew me away with WHAT KIND OF GIRL. Told in Maya’s and Junie’s voices readers are privy to Maya’s self doubts, conflicted feelings about Mike and love. She minimizes, blames herself and questions the seriousness of the abuse. Junie’s anxiety manifests itself, in part, in racing thoughts of self doubt. Her stream of consciousness anxiety is palpable in her narration. Sheinmel gave both young women pitch perfect, distinct voices.

My only issue is that the narration was confusing and I needed half the book to figure out whose words I was reading even though the voices were different. Sections titled The Girlfriend, The Popular Girl etc first seemed like different characters, like in Jennifer Mathieu’s THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE before realizing they were different roles Maya played in her own life. I didn’t even know Maya’s name until the end of the first section. I assume this was by design, but I would have preferred more direction.

WHAT KIND OF GIRL does a fantastic job showing domestic and dating violence, from the victim’s self doubt to the loved ones who wonder why Maya didn’t speak up sooner to bystanders victim blaming and slut shaming to authorities hoping the “problem” will go away before they have to act. Maya grows a great deal throughout the story, but still has a long way to go which she realizes. Junie develops insight and assertiveness throughout the book and finally embraces participating in treatment with her therapist.

WHAT KIND OF GIRL would be a great classroom read and should be read by everyone. ...more

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Oct 18, 2019 Kristi rated it really liked it

Shelves: socialissues, 2020release, young-adult, arc, readin2019, netgalley

First sentence:

It’s hard not to want to defend him.

What Kind of Girl examines many of the problems that teenagers face today with the focal point on dating violence. The book centers on the aftermath that occurs when a teen girl, Maya, accuses her very popular and well-liked boyfriend, Mike, of physically abusing her.

The story is told in three parts, mostly narrated by Maya and her best friend, Juniper aka Junie. There are some parts that are narrated by others i.e. The Best Friend of Mike and ...more

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Dec 21, 2019 Liz Barnsley rated it liked it

What Kind Of Girl is a really well written piece of teen drama, featuring engaging and realistic characters and touching on some emotionally resonant themes.

Maya walks into her principals office and reports boyfriend Mike for abuse. The black eye she is sporting creates gossip and division amongst her peers, best friend Junie is determined to bring Mike down and the author explores the group dynamic beautifully - the underneath of it all, the thoughts and decisions and fallout - and for the most ...more

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Aug 13, 2019 Cody Nicole rated it it was amazing

What Kind of Girl is undoubtedly going to be one of the most influential books I've read this year. This poignant tale of two teenage girls is bound to strike a nerve with almost anyone who picks up the book. It has an important impact and will leave you quite literally shell-shocked.

Told from two perspectives, What Kind of Girl follows two teenage friends - Maya and Juniper. I really liked both the characters. They were well-rounded, in-depth characters with honest thoughts and feelings. I What Kind of Girl is undoubtedly going to be one of the most influential books I've read this year. This poignant tale of two teenage girls is bound to strike a nerve with almost anyone who picks up the book. It has an important impact and will leave you quite literally shell-shocked.

Told from two perspectives, What Kind of Girl follows two teenage friends - Maya and Juniper. I really liked both the characters. They were well-rounded, in-depth characters with honest thoughts and feelings. I could relate to Maya when she questioned whether her every move would be scrutinised. I felt the air closing around me when Juniper suffered an anxiety attack. Maya was undoubtedly brave, though I could sense that she was still naive. Not as naive as she had been, but it was very clear that though she was developed, she wasn't fully there yet. This was not a bad thing - Maya is a teenager. It would be strange for her to be fully emotionally developed, with a complete understanding of wrong and right. I know plenty of adults who still struggle with that today - let alone teenagers.

The book does touch upon a lot of trigger warnings, such as dating abuse, bulimia, self harm, anxiety and drug use. Alyssa Sheineml beautifully portrays both girl's struggle: from the insanely convincing portrayal of modern day victim blaming to an interesting take on how we allow labels define us in society. For a long time in the novel, the only name we hear is Mike. It's a complex route to take in withholding the main characters' names. It worked, because I was drawn in - wondering who the labels could possibly belong to.

Though the antagonist of the story, Mike was a character that is needed in fiction today. There is this massive expectation that all the abusive men in the world are drunks, or rude, or a 'bad boy'. Mike was none of these things: he was charismatic and charming, popular and well loved. He was the golden boy, on track to receive a scholarship and in a relationship outside eyes adored. This speaks absolute volumes to me, as it's important to be telling people that the nice guys can be just as abusive as the bad guys. It's important to emphasise that just because your partner is well-loved and sweet to everyone else, you can report them when they do something that's not right.

I was completely blown away by the novel. It didn't drag or feel drawn out - each moment having it's own particular purpose to the story. Every thought was well planned, every character movement progressing the story perfectly. It's increasingly rare to find a book that can pull you to the side and make you contemplate the seriousness of the issues mentioned above.

When this book is finally published on 1 February 2020, I advise you to buy a copy and give it a read. My review won't do it enough justice - but this is the kind of empowering book young teenagers need to be reading. Perhaps if there had of been more books around like this when I was younger, I wouldn't have allowed myself to fall victim to abuse. I wouldn't have believed that it was love, or that I would be blamed for someone else's wrong actions.

I think you need to read this book. ...more

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Jul 10, 2019 Meghan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library

This book was received as an ARC from SOURCEBOOKS Fire in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was very eye opening just as The Hate You Give and Girl in Pieces talking about domestic violence and how some couples can not resolve their issues. This book in particular had a lot of eye opening scenes and questions such as why did she talk to her high school principal and not go to the police? Why are all her friends taking ...more

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Jun 12, 2019 Bunmi rated it really liked it

Content warning: This book contains dating abuse, bulimia, and self-harm.

Told through multiple points of view, the story centers on best friends Maya and Juniper. The whole book takes place in a week. I found the story-telling device used is unique and really powerful.

On Monday, Maya comes to school and heads straight to the principal's office. She's there to report that her boyfriend, the golden boy of campus, hit here. And it wasn't the first time.

Juniper wants to be there for Maya. After ...more

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May 11, 2019 Nia •ShadesOfPaper• added it

Shelves: arcs, 2020-releases, 2020-arcs, contemporary, standalone, young-adult, mental-health, feminism, books-read-in-2020

Thank you Sourcebooks for the ARC

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Aug 01, 2019 Paula rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Maya is very popular at high school. Her boyfriend Mike is popular and admired by everyone, including the teachers and staff. When Maya walks into the principal's office one day with a black eye and accuses Mike of hitting her. This starts a tumultuous series of events.

Sheinmel has created some interesting characters with some very serious problems. It brings date abuse, bulimia, cutting and anxiety into focus. These are important issues facing our youth today and the author does a good job of ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 Clare rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, favourites

Trigger Warnings for dating abuse, self harm, bulimia.

This triggers are mentioned at the top of the book. I received this as an ARC so thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to give a non biased review.

To keep this review as spoiler free as possible, this book is told through duel POV and tells the story of a girl who reports her boyfriend who gave her a black eye, and a girl who suffers from OCD but also cuts herself.

For a lot of the book, you don't know which character is ...more

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Jan 17, 2020 Amber rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, read-2020, netgalley

This book hands so many topics in a careful and thoughtful way. Unfortunately, it took me way too long to get the whole story format. Which is understandable considering how the chapters are formatted. I feel like this book will be and do great things. I just didn't fully get it.

I received an ecopy of this through netgalley; however, all opinions are my own.

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Jan 18, 2020 Bookphenomena (Micky) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-jan, pback-owned, pback-arc, ya-contemporary, abuse, important-representation, 2020-read, ya, arc-read

This was such an interesting read that addressed some relevant but less written-about themes in the context of physical abuse in a dating situation in YA. The way the story was told was innovative and clever.

Full review to come for the blog.

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Jun 22, 2019 Ashley Holstrom rated it really liked it

Shelves: galley, print, pub-2020, 2019, fiction, mental-health, feminism, young-adult, sourcebooks

Alyssa Sheinmel is a treasure. She writes mental illness like no one else, with a stunning stream-of-consciousness style that feels real. What Kind of Girl is such an important book about what domestic violence can look like, and the many ways survivors and bystanders battle with the truth.

(Content warning for domestic violence, bulimia, and self-harm)

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Aug 06, 2019 Storme rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalleys, arcs, ebooks, review-copies, kindle-app

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning for book: dating abuse, self harm, bulimia, and some drug abuse

Wow. I know the first book I read by Alyssa Sheinmel was intense. The name sounded familiar so I requested this book! And let me just say, this book is definitely not an easy read. It can actually be triggering so it’s fantastic there’s a warning in the beginning.

The story is told through the perspective of best friends ...more

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Aug 13, 2019 Dee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audience-young-adult, rating-5-stars, genre-health

What Kind of Girl is undoubtedly going to be one of the most influential books I've read this year. This poignant tale of two teenage girls is bound to strike a nerve with almost anyone who picks up the book. It has an important impact and will leave you quite literally shell-shocked.

Told from two perspectives, What Kind of Girl follows two teenage friends - Maya and Juniper. I really liked both the characters. They were well-rounded, in-depth characters with honest thoughts and feelings. I What Kind of Girl is undoubtedly going to be one of the most influential books I've read this year. This poignant tale of two teenage girls is bound to strike a nerve with almost anyone who picks up the book. It has an important impact and will leave you quite literally shell-shocked.

Told from two perspectives, What Kind of Girl follows two teenage friends - Maya and Juniper. I really liked both the characters. They were well-rounded, in-depth characters with honest thoughts and feelings. I could relate to Maya when she questioned whether her every move would be scrutinised. I felt the air closing around me when Juniper suffered an anxiety attack. Maya was undoubtedly brave, though I could sense that she was still naive. Not as naive as she had been, but it was very clear that though she was developed, she wasn't fully there yet. This was not a bad thing - Maya is a teenager. It would be strange for her to be fully emotionally developed, with a complete understanding of wrong and right. I know plenty of adults who still struggle with that today - let alone teenagers.

The book does touch upon a lot of trigger warnings, such as dating abuse, bulimia, self harm, anxiety and drug use. Alyssa Sheineml beautifully portrays both girl's struggle: from the insanely convincing portrayal of modern day victim blaming to an interesting take on how we allow labels define us in society. For a long time in the novel, the only name we hear is Mike. It's a complex route to take in withholding the main characters' names. It worked, because I was drawn in - wondering who the labels could possibly belong to.

Though the antagonist of the story, Mike was a character that is needed in fiction today. There is this massive expectation that all the abusive men in the world are drunks, or rude, or a 'bad boy'. Mike was none of these things: he was charismatic and charming, popular and well loved. He was the golden boy, on track to receive a scholarship and in a relationship outside eyes adored. This speaks absolute volumes to me, as it's important to be telling people that the nice guys can be just as abusive as the bad guys. It's important to emphasise that just because your partner is well-loved and sweet to everyone else, you can report them when they do something that's not right.

I was completely blown away by the novel. It didn't drag or feel drawn out - each moment having it's own particular purpose to the story. Every thought was well planned, every character movement progressing the story perfectly. It's increasingly rare to find a book that can pull you to the side and make you contemplate the seriousness of the issues mentioned above.

When this book is finally published on 1 February 2020, I advise you to buy a copy and give it a read. My review won't do it enough justice - but this is the kind of empowering book young teenagers need to be reading. Perhaps if there had of been more books around like this when I was younger, I wouldn't have allowed myself to fall victim to abuse. I wouldn't have believed that it was love, or that I would be blamed for someone else's wrong actions.

I think you need to read this book. ...more

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Jan 08, 2020 Maddie☾✶ rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-on-my-shelf, reviewed

What kind of girl by Alyssa Sheinmel
4 stars
TW- mentions of: self Harm, eating disorders, drug use, domestic abuse, slut shaming, victim blaming.
-
When Mike Parker’s girlfriend shows up to school with a black eye and walks into the principal’s office accusing Mike of hitting her North Bay Academy is completely split. The thick air filled with rumors, sides, lies, and confusion crowds the halls. The girls aren’t sure if they should take the victims word because- after all why would the golden boy What kind of girl by Alyssa Sheinmel
4 stars
TW- mentions of: self Harm, eating disorders, drug use, domestic abuse, slut shaming, victim blaming.
-
When Mike Parker’s girlfriend shows up to school with a black eye and walks into the principal’s office accusing Mike of hitting her North Bay Academy is completely split. The thick air filled with rumors, sides, lies, and confusion crowds the halls. The girls aren’t sure if they should take the victims word because- after all why would the golden boy Mike ever do something like that? If he has everything why would he do something that could jeopardize his scholarship? Why did his girlfriend wait so long to tell? What was a rumor and what wasn't? But everyone is sure of two things… one person is telling the truth, and one Is lying.
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This book was real. So. Damn. Real.
From the beginning to the end the character development was so intense, and filled with so much emotion that there were multiple occasions while reading this that I suddenly realized I had been crying. This is a story you don’t forget. There are multiple reasons why this book is so hard to review, here are a few: Everything is pretty much a spoiler. The way this book plays out is so unique and its really something you just have to pick up blind (I promise you will not regret it). The emotions I felt while reading this are so indescribable, I really don’t know where to begin. I really cannot relate this to anything I personally have ever read before all I can say is this will stick with you for a long time. Truly an unforgettable masterpiece.
This story was so empowering and its so important for this generation of the #Metoo movement/movements against domestic abuse. The young women in this book felt real, the way they questioned things, how unsure of themselves they were etc etc. It just felt real, it was an honest look into an abusive high school relationship.
The more books that are coming out about sexual assault/domestic abuse survivors— fiction or non fiction— is so important for young women (and men) around the world learning and understanding how important it is to speak up for yourself.
If you or someone you know may be in an abusive relationship help is out there, there is a safe space. Visit www.loveisrespect.org Or speak to a peer advocate at 1-866-331-9474 or text “loveis” to 22522. You are not alone.

"And we both know all the truth I could tell." -Kesha, "Praying" ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 USOM rated it really liked it

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

TW: Dating abuse, bulimia, self-harm, victim blaming, slut shaming, anxiety, OCD

What Kind of Girl is a tough book. It tackles issues of victim blaming, of the emotional decision to speak up, and the ripples within the community. This book doesn't only focus on the rhetoric of those around her, but also our own internalized messaging. The ways we wonder if we were weak, how the words ...more

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Dec 21, 2019 Karen Barber rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-novdec-tug-of-war, netgalley

Scheduled for publication in February 2020, this is a book to shout about and encourage people to read.
The action of the book takes place over just one week, and it is a pivotal week in the lives of the characters we encounter. It’s the kind of week that changes lives.
Initially I was unsure about the way this book started. Each chapter was titled something different - the girlfriend, the dropout etc - and I was under the impression there were a number of characters. The reality was quite ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Louise Hunter rated it it was amazing

ARC provided by Atom Books

How do I even begin this review? This book was quite a hard read. This book is told in 2 POV's but even giving you the name to those can be a technical spoilers as at the beginning the writer kind of leaves it to you to figure out who they are.
This books highlights the importance of domestic abuse in young people, a topic that isn't really spoke about in many young adult novels. It's definitely an eye opener.
I'm not going to write to much in this review because 1. I'm ...more

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Jul 15, 2019 R rated it it was amazing

What Kind of Girl was exactly the question asked not only by students, but the victim herself. High school junior Maya was abused by her popular track star boyfriend Mike on several occasions. After a vicious slap that left her with a very visual black eye, Maya decided to report the abuse to the principal. Students then began to take sides- questioning the behavior of both parties involved. Maya’s best friend, Junie, tried to be there for her, but she had her own set of problems that needed to ...more

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Sep 25, 2019 Johnna Whetstone rated it it was amazing

Amazing, heart wrenching book! This book was one of those books that left me shook up inside. It had my emotions all over the place, but I found it to be so utterly real and in its ugliness beautiful. I think it’s a must read for parents, teenagers, and any one else working with younger people, because it really hits on tough subjects in a manner that lets readers see realities and maybe learn from them and help others from that knowledge. I highly recommend to those who love books on tough ...more

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Jan 15, 2020 Samantha (WLABB) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, ya, 2020diverseread, mentalhealth, contemporary, arcs

There's a lot to unpack in this story, and I thought Sheinmel did a rather great job with the issues she incorporated into this story of love, lies, and the different kinds of girl we all have inside of us. There was something about the structure I really loved, but won't share it, because the best part, for me, was making the discovery myself.

Full review to follow.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Jan 08, 2020 Johnna Whetstone rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I already had gotten a copy, and didn’t realize, since cover was different! Anyhow, this was one of those amazing, heartbreaking, and full of emotional turmoil books. It shook me to my core and made many of my emotions show themselves! Well written, excellent character development, and absolutely gut wrenching at times! Highly recommend!
Will make sure I buzz it up on different platforms!

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