What do you think?
Rate this book
Girls with Sharp Sticks #3
Girls with Rebel Souls
The girls make their final stand in this third and final novel in the thrilling, subversive near-future series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young about a girls-only private school that is far more than it appears to be.
There is no one who can save your rebel soul…
The girls of Innovations Academy escaped the confines of their unethical school, fought against the system protecting predators who targeted girls for harassment, and they’re not done yet. They’re still not free.
Reeling from one revelation after the next, Mena and her friends begin to unwind the truth of their existence and, as a result, their destiny. The men from Innovations Corporation still hunt them, the woman who created them still wants control over them, and worst of all, Mena realizes that through all her pain, all her tears, the world of men has not changed. There is no more time to hope for the best. The girls know they are in a battle for their lives, a war for their very existence.
The girls of Innovations Academy have sharpened their sticks to fight back, they have fought for justice with blood from their razor hearts. And now, the girls will choose their true nature...and how they define their rebel souls.
There is no one who can save your rebel soul…
The girls of Innovations Academy escaped the confines of their unethical school, fought against the system protecting predators who targeted girls for harassment, and they’re not done yet. They’re still not free.
Reeling from one revelation after the next, Mena and her friends begin to unwind the truth of their existence and, as a result, their destiny. The men from Innovations Corporation still hunt them, the woman who created them still wants control over them, and worst of all, Mena realizes that through all her pain, all her tears, the world of men has not changed. There is no more time to hope for the best. The girls know they are in a battle for their lives, a war for their very existence.
The girls of Innovations Academy have sharpened their sticks to fight back, they have fought for justice with blood from their razor hearts. And now, the girls will choose their true nature...and how they define their rebel souls.
320 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 23, 2021
66 people are currently reading
2677 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Young
69 books4,872 followersSuzanne Young is the New York Times bestselling author of The Program, The Treatment, and several other novels. She currently lives in Tempe, Arizona where she teaches high school English and obsesses about books. Learn more about Suzanne at www.suzanne-young.blogspot.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
Read
July 21, 2020
April 8, 2021
I'll say it here now after reading all the books - leave it at the first book. Don't have to read the sequels and ruin yourself for the story. Yeah, just read the first book and be happy.
If the second book was a mess, I don't know what this was. Honestly, I lost interest by a point and didn't know what I felt for this series anymore.
So we continue where the second book ends and takes up right after. A lot is happening, the girls are traveling and trying to take down patriarchy. Men in power are being killed. The society is scared and cracking because men are being killed. Jackson is still lovesick. Mena and the girls still continue making poor decisions. There's people betraying and getting betrayed, coming back and never going back, dying and decaying.
Just, oh god. So much was happening in the book that you just lose interest. Especially combined with the poor writing and dialogues. It felt so unpolished.
I think the author really had a great idea for these books. Some aspects of it really even makes you stop, think and nod to yourself considering how true they are and how sad it all is. The book tends to show you a very sad and scary part of society but at the expense of putting all men as monsters. Yeah. It has that feminist perspective. Kill men, save world.
I won't lie, at one point, I got annoyed. But I continued and finished the book and I was simply . . . I was okay. It was an okay end but also not that good. It was good to see that end but the epilogue was again, no. Uhuh. Nuhuh.
Ugh. I was just so excited to read these sequels after the hit with the first book but i was overtly let down.
If the second book was a mess, I don't know what this was. Honestly, I lost interest by a point and didn't know what I felt for this series anymore.
So we continue where the second book ends and takes up right after. A lot is happening, the girls are traveling and trying to take down patriarchy. Men in power are being killed. The society is scared and cracking because men are being killed. Jackson is still lovesick. Mena and the girls still continue making poor decisions. There's people betraying and getting betrayed, coming back and never going back, dying and decaying.
Just, oh god. So much was happening in the book that you just lose interest. Especially combined with the poor writing and dialogues. It felt so unpolished.
I think the author really had a great idea for these books. Some aspects of it really even makes you stop, think and nod to yourself considering how true they are and how sad it all is. The book tends to show you a very sad and scary part of society but at the expense of putting all men as monsters. Yeah. It has that feminist perspective. Kill men, save world.
I won't lie, at one point, I got annoyed. But I continued and finished the book and I was simply . . . I was okay. It was an okay end but also not that good. It was good to see that end but the epilogue was again, no. Uhuh. Nuhuh.
Ugh. I was just so excited to read these sequels after the hit with the first book but i was overtly let down.
February 3, 2022
At this point I really just wanted these books to be over. I started to realize how far-fetched this whole story was and it was repetitive. 😬
These definitely could’ve been a duology and I think it just got stretched out.
Full review to come.
2 ⭐️.
These definitely could’ve been a duology and I think it just got stretched out.
Full review to come.
2 ⭐️.
December 6, 2022
This is a prime example of books that should have been left to one. I really enjoyed the first book and then the second crashed and burned hard. I had some hope that the finale would right this runaway train, but alas, that did not come to pass.
The first issue in this book is that it drags. The mystery wasn't a mystery, I was very obvious what was going on from the beginning. And there just seemed no sense of urgency to get anything done. The girls just sat around and talked about themselves for a majority of the book and honestly, the relationships seemed forced and the conversations were not naturally flowing. I don't dislike the writer's style, but it felt very childish here like it should have been middle grade and not YA.
Second issue, the commentary on social justice. Yes, this is important and needs to be featured in books more, but it also needs to be handled correctly and I didn't find that here. Instead, what we got was a list of the worlds problems (which are many) and whining about how their lives weren't fair. They either wanted to change the entire world and when they realized they couldn't, decided that it was enough. Change starts small girls. Start looking inward.
Also, while I am very much for equality, I disliked the men bad aspect of this book. Yes, we have a problem with white male power, but this book just wanted to categorize every male as the same (except the precious Jackson & Q by extension). It just got tiring.
Finally, Mena. Mena is extremely problematic. I could not stand being in her head the entire book. I almost wish this was duel POV's or something. It was just constant droning on and on about how she missed the girls, she wanted to be with the girls, she hopes the girls are okay, the girls must be together always! There was zero growth in her character and she never learned from any mistakes she made. Very frustrating. The progression of the story was furthered by the side characters just pulling Mena along for the ride.
This trend is YA where everything has be a trilogy or a series needs to stop. Sometimes, one book is enough.
The first issue in this book is that it drags. The mystery wasn't a mystery, I was very obvious what was going on from the beginning. And there just seemed no sense of urgency to get anything done. The girls just sat around and talked about themselves for a majority of the book and honestly, the relationships seemed forced and the conversations were not naturally flowing. I don't dislike the writer's style, but it felt very childish here like it should have been middle grade and not YA.
Second issue, the commentary on social justice. Yes, this is important and needs to be featured in books more, but it also needs to be handled correctly and I didn't find that here. Instead, what we got was a list of the worlds problems (which are many) and whining about how their lives weren't fair. They either wanted to change the entire world and when they realized they couldn't, decided that it was enough. Change starts small girls. Start looking inward.
Also, while I am very much for equality, I disliked the men bad aspect of this book. Yes, we have a problem with white male power, but this book just wanted to categorize every male as the same (except the precious Jackson & Q by extension). It just got tiring.
Finally, Mena. Mena is extremely problematic. I could not stand being in her head the entire book. I almost wish this was duel POV's or something. It was just constant droning on and on about how she missed the girls, she wanted to be with the girls, she hopes the girls are okay, the girls must be together always! There was zero growth in her character and she never learned from any mistakes she made. Very frustrating. The progression of the story was furthered by the side characters just pulling Mena along for the ride.
This trend is YA where everything has be a trilogy or a series needs to stop. Sometimes, one book is enough.
April 10, 2021
3rd and last book in the series and even if I adored the last two books this is just a 4.5 stars. Its not bad but don't have the same kickass thrilling elements to it and I wasn't as invested with the characters. Maybe it should only have been a duology. I loved the first two but feel like the sport was dragged out bit much. Still enjoyable but not as great
Read
September 10, 2020A) I was right about what the title would be
B) I think this is my least favourite cover in the series
B) I think this is my least favourite cover in the series
June 15, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up
This series started out with a bang. I loved Girls with Sharp Sticks... so much so that I immediately ordered the next two books in the trilogy. Unfortunately, they didn't live up to the first one. I did enjoy this one more than #2, but neither were as good as the first.
I'm sitting here trying to pinpoint what was missing, but I just don't know. I think ultimately I just didn't care as much about the girls and what happened to them in the second two books. I'm still glad I finished the series, but I wish the sequels invoked the feelings the first one did.
I wish I could rate this the 3.5 I want (c'mon Goodreads) but since I gave the second book 3 stars, and I liked this one more, I'm going to round up to 4.
This series started out with a bang. I loved Girls with Sharp Sticks... so much so that I immediately ordered the next two books in the trilogy. Unfortunately, they didn't live up to the first one. I did enjoy this one more than #2, but neither were as good as the first.
I'm sitting here trying to pinpoint what was missing, but I just don't know. I think ultimately I just didn't care as much about the girls and what happened to them in the second two books. I'm still glad I finished the series, but I wish the sequels invoked the feelings the first one did.
I wish I could rate this the 3.5 I want (c'mon Goodreads) but since I gave the second book 3 stars, and I liked this one more, I'm going to round up to 4.
May 12, 2021
This is truly the stupidest series I've had the displeasure of wasting my time on. Eww.
August 18, 2021
This series closure was pretty underwhelming. It dragged a lot, it felt like nothing important was happening for half the book. I'm glad I didn't buy a physical copy for this one. The first book was great, won't talk about it again there's a review on my shelves if you're interested in, and the second book was more action packed and I enjoyed it as well. I gave both first and second installments 5 stars, mostly because of enjoyment. However; this one was very soapy, very predictable, like I knew what to expect at the end but the writer needed to fill up a whole book. This series should have been a duology, cut out most of the unnecessary bits on the third one and round up the story in two books. Unfortunately, this happens a lot in YA mystery/dystopian books, to write one more book that ends falling flat and anticlimactic instead of just write two great ones. I'd to clarify that I highly recommend this series overall. The first book is amazing. And the second book's ending can be taken as open ending if you don't want to read this one. For now, I'm not unhauling book 1 and 2, let's pretend this one was never written...🤔🙄
December 24, 2021
"No offense, but you girls are kind of boring when you're just living your lives. I need a little more adventure and excitement."
Pretty much sums it up. Kinda reminded of Hunger Games, both in how the books kept declining in quality and how most of the action is offscreen with the main characters doing almost nothing besides, like, moving from place to place and talking about feelings. Would have helped a lot if we at least got more narratorial turnover; I can't even describe Mena's personality in this book as she is such a non-entity.
Pretty much sums it up. Kinda reminded of Hunger Games, both in how the books kept declining in quality and how most of the action is offscreen with the main characters doing almost nothing besides, like, moving from place to place and talking about feelings. Would have helped a lot if we at least got more narratorial turnover; I can't even describe Mena's personality in this book as she is such a non-entity.
March 28, 2021
So many layers to these books. Man. I’m so bummed this series is over. Please let there be some kind of spinoff! So much could be done with some of these characters and the world itself, just like THE PROGRAM. As always, Suzanne Young’s books are criminally underrated and I won’t stop shouting for you to read them.
September 6, 2021
dragged a lot for the majority of the book tbh but the general on the nose commentary and interesting ideas were served
May 12, 2021
Um. Well. That was awkward. After really liking the first book and generally going with the flow of revelations during the second, this third and not-actually-last story of the girls of Innovations Academy felt a bit of a mess of plot threads that were all either cast aside and forgotten or tied off very quickly in ways that felt unsatisfying.
A quick run-down: Mena and her girls are still hunting the investors who made Innovations Academy possible. With the revelations that Lennon Rose is not who they thought, and Leandra may well be everything they feared, once again they're on their own in a world all set to hate them. Along with Jackson and Quentin, their mission splits them up as they stumble upon conspiracies and face up to the fact that you can't change the world overnight.
The social justice themes that have been central to the series are presented with sometimes vitriolic anger I found really off-putting and generally just too over the top. It's as if it's become the very thing it accuses society of seeing women voicing their issues as: hysterical. Maybe it's having a non-US perspective, where we most certainly do see violence and social injustices against women in the media and have them endlessly dissected, or maybe I personally have grown out of the less than subtle way this series seeks to address these things, but I just found it disappointingly obvious as if we're still not trusted to be able to think for ourselves about the topics. The characters' reactions are also just a bit uncomfortable, sometimes borderline man-hating (and occasionally woman-hating too) in a way that's not called out. One thing I usually like about sci-fi is that it can make social commentary while telling a good story without beating you with rhetoric, but here it felt like it wanted to be a YA dystopian thriller and a protest rally at the same time.
The plot didn't seem to have a strong direction. Find the investors, save the girls, save the world..? Not so much. Everything felt like a soup of bits and pieces picked at random. I couldn't help but feel too many things felt hastily wrapped up while others were never addressed.
Plus there didn't seem to be a clear reason or resolution to why these needed to be artificial "girls" telling this story. In book one where it was all horrific academy discoveries and sci-fi tension it made sense, but out in the "real" world their human-or-not-human question just added another complication. Maybe there's supposed to be the message that in our real world women are seen by some super misogynists as little more than domestic appliances? But these "girls" are superior to human girls in every way, so come across as elitist and out for themselves. It felt disheartening that they didn't seem interested in changing things for all females beyond just stating that they wanted some kind of change.
I had finally had enough of Mena by this book. Her constant leaking of tears got me very down. Dialogue could feel forced and stilted (see Sydney's recounting of her investor "meeting" escapade - it's said like it would be written as narration). The much awaited romance just... happens. Then Jackson's off again . Brynn and Marcella's relationship gets mentioned again after being missing for a while, but nothing much seems to come from it so I never really got the feeling that they felt that kind of way about each other. There's something rougher about the writing in general than the first two books, like maybe it didn't go through the same editorial process.
The epilogue implies that it's another YA trilogy "end" that isn't the end. Overall, while I was looking forward to getting some answers and closure, this one left me more confused and down about the series. It was an easy read, but not quite the one I'd expected.
A quick run-down: Mena and her girls are still hunting the investors who made Innovations Academy possible. With the revelations that Lennon Rose is not who they thought, and Leandra may well be everything they feared, once again they're on their own in a world all set to hate them. Along with Jackson and Quentin, their mission splits them up as they stumble upon conspiracies and face up to the fact that you can't change the world overnight.
The social justice themes that have been central to the series are presented with sometimes vitriolic anger I found really off-putting and generally just too over the top. It's as if it's become the very thing it accuses society of seeing women voicing their issues as: hysterical. Maybe it's having a non-US perspective, where we most certainly do see violence and social injustices against women in the media and have them endlessly dissected, or maybe I personally have grown out of the less than subtle way this series seeks to address these things, but I just found it disappointingly obvious as if we're still not trusted to be able to think for ourselves about the topics. The characters' reactions are also just a bit uncomfortable, sometimes borderline man-hating (and occasionally woman-hating too) in a way that's not called out. One thing I usually like about sci-fi is that it can make social commentary while telling a good story without beating you with rhetoric, but here it felt like it wanted to be a YA dystopian thriller and a protest rally at the same time.
The plot didn't seem to have a strong direction. Find the investors, save the girls, save the world..? Not so much. Everything felt like a soup of bits and pieces picked at random. I couldn't help but feel too many things felt hastily wrapped up while others were never addressed.
Plus there didn't seem to be a clear reason or resolution to why these needed to be artificial "girls" telling this story. In book one where it was all horrific academy discoveries and sci-fi tension it made sense, but out in the "real" world their human-or-not-human question just added another complication. Maybe there's supposed to be the message that in our real world women are seen by some super misogynists as little more than domestic appliances? But these "girls" are superior to human girls in every way, so come across as elitist and out for themselves. It felt disheartening that they didn't seem interested in changing things for all females beyond just stating that they wanted some kind of change.
I had finally had enough of Mena by this book. Her constant leaking of tears got me very down. Dialogue could feel forced and stilted (see Sydney's recounting of her investor "meeting" escapade - it's said like it would be written as narration). The much awaited romance just... happens. Then Jackson's off again . Brynn and Marcella's relationship gets mentioned again after being missing for a while, but nothing much seems to come from it so I never really got the feeling that they felt that kind of way about each other. There's something rougher about the writing in general than the first two books, like maybe it didn't go through the same editorial process.
The epilogue implies that it's another YA trilogy "end" that isn't the end. Overall, while I was looking forward to getting some answers and closure, this one left me more confused and down about the series. It was an easy read, but not quite the one I'd expected.
July 27, 2022
#1) Girls with Sharp Sticks ★★★★☆
#2) Girls with Razor Hearts ★★★☆☆
➸ Trigger warnings for .
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
February 1, 2024
This could’ve been an email.
April 22, 2021
2'5-3*
I think that maybe it would have worked better to have a duology instead of three books, as this one feels somewhat bland and also there's lots of lose ends... For instance, the police is involved by Mena's boyfriend but... Does anything happen? I mean, I think it's not even referenced again... And we have all that spotlight around rich men dying and Innovations Academy and no one ties it back to the girls? Or at least there could have been some news related to what happened at the Academy or something so the girls and the readers could have felt like they were finalky exposed and things aired and someone intervining and helping them out to establish themselves as citizens? Maybe there is expert hacking from Raven or something to protect themselves, but wouldn't have it been nice to see it on page instead of guessing how they manage to gwt into society?
I mean, the plot is entertaining, but if you scratch the surface there are obvious plotholes, like how do the girls live? Leandra gives them money, but... Afterwards? How do they go thru their lives if they aren't even listed as citizens? Or are they? What happened with the case of rich men dying? With the academy? With the town? Do the people that left come back or...? What did the police do with the info Mena's boyfriend provided? I am unsure...
I think that maybe it would have worked better to have a duology instead of three books, as this one feels somewhat bland and also there's lots of lose ends... For instance, the police is involved by Mena's boyfriend but... Does anything happen? I mean, I think it's not even referenced again... And we have all that spotlight around rich men dying and Innovations Academy and no one ties it back to the girls? Or at least there could have been some news related to what happened at the Academy or something so the girls and the readers could have felt like they were finalky exposed and things aired and someone intervining and helping them out to establish themselves as citizens? Maybe there is expert hacking from Raven or something to protect themselves, but wouldn't have it been nice to see it on page instead of guessing how they manage to gwt into society?
I mean, the plot is entertaining, but if you scratch the surface there are obvious plotholes, like how do the girls live? Leandra gives them money, but... Afterwards? How do they go thru their lives if they aren't even listed as citizens? Or are they? What happened with the case of rich men dying? With the academy? With the town? Do the people that left come back or...? What did the police do with the info Mena's boyfriend provided? I am unsure...
May 30, 2022
It was alright. The first book was good. The second and third one struggled the overlap of the sci-fi and feminist bits. The feminism is very… one sided? Focuses mostly (only?) on the men who view women as accessories knowingly, though from experience most say they could never be racist or sexist or discriminate, and yet they do it over and over again.
We are girls.
You tried to teach us that that meant we were less.
Run like a girl
Hit like a girl
Throw like a girl
You tried to keep us down and put us aside.
You limited our rights and controlled our lives.
But we are girls.
We never give up.
- Mena
We are girls.
You tried to teach us that that meant we were less.
Run like a girl
Hit like a girl
Throw like a girl
You tried to keep us down and put us aside.
You limited our rights and controlled our lives.
But we are girls.
We never give up.
- Mena
January 26, 2024
4.5 stars.
once again i’m here finishing a series i never want
to end. The found family in this book and the morals were so good and i really love the writing of this author.
i’ll need to read some more books shes written.
5star series definitely!
once again i’m here finishing a series i never want
to end. The found family in this book and the morals were so good and i really love the writing of this author.
i’ll need to read some more books shes written.
5star series definitely!
March 4, 2023
This is the final book in this series. While I'm glad I decided to finish it, honestly you wouldn't be missing much if you only picked up book one.
July 8, 2022
Well, unfortunately some of the stuff in this book hit me a little more strongly with the immense backstep that just happened with the Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade. That aside though, this third and final installment was pretty boring. I’d give it 2.5 out of 5. Slightly better than book two, but a far cry from the masterpiece of book one. I think I’m going to unhaul this and book two and just consider the first book a fantastic standalone.
Most of this book was the girls arriving at places too late, or arriving places and not doing anything but helplessly reacting to what’s going on. All the conclusions they arrived at (correctly or no) felt so scripted and flat and presumptuous. The dialogue was boring and rudimentary: it started out being charming and innocent, but at this point, three books in, it started to read as bland. It was all so matter-of-fact: they did this, then they went here, then they did this, they saw this, they thought this, etc. The presence of Jackson and Quentin was pretty useless the majority of the time; Quentin existed just so they would have a certain place to go to that would be important.
And while it has a positive ending for the main characters, it doesn’t really… Do much for the discourse around the topics this series has been focused on.
Also fun fact: this book has the most grammar/spelling errors that I’ve seen since I started making note of such things when they appear in books (four separate errors, breaking my previously noted record of three as of the time of this review). That kind of thing doesn’t make or break a book for me, I just find it entertaining to point out!
So yeah. Underwhelming and unimpressive ending. Two disappointing sequels to an amazing first book.
YouTube Review: https://youtu.be/ZMQX17DmNDM
Most of this book was the girls arriving at places too late, or arriving places and not doing anything but helplessly reacting to what’s going on. All the conclusions they arrived at (correctly or no) felt so scripted and flat and presumptuous. The dialogue was boring and rudimentary: it started out being charming and innocent, but at this point, three books in, it started to read as bland. It was all so matter-of-fact: they did this, then they went here, then they did this, they saw this, they thought this, etc. The presence of Jackson and Quentin was pretty useless the majority of the time; Quentin existed just so they would have a certain place to go to that would be important.
And while it has a positive ending for the main characters, it doesn’t really… Do much for the discourse around the topics this series has been focused on.
Also fun fact: this book has the most grammar/spelling errors that I’ve seen since I started making note of such things when they appear in books (four separate errors, breaking my previously noted record of three as of the time of this review). That kind of thing doesn’t make or break a book for me, I just find it entertaining to point out!
So yeah. Underwhelming and unimpressive ending. Two disappointing sequels to an amazing first book.
YouTube Review: https://youtu.be/ZMQX17DmNDM
April 18, 2021
Okay.
This was interesting.
First of all, I like this book; it's better than I expected. The first one was alright, the second was weird but I really feel like the third book pulled it off quite nicely.
But I still have some problems tho. Like the second book, Girls with Rebel Souls is repetitive.
Girls with Sharp Sticks had the best plot IMO even though it was predictable. The last two were basically Mena and the gang running around the States and...reacting to stuff.
I swear to god, everytime a character praises them for 'doing it', I lose my shit because most of the time they didn't even do anything.
The whole 'stopping the corporation' also fell flat. Like, the stakes weren't high enough and the problems were solved almost immediately.
The stand off with Winston Weeks was fucking laughable. He didn't even last for 5 pages or something.
It also delivered messages clumsily. There was no subtlety AT ALL.
It was basically the author preaching, spoon feeding the reader do's and dont's.
It was annoying. Same thing in the second book too.
But overall, this was a nice conclusion to the series.
This was interesting.
First of all, I like this book; it's better than I expected. The first one was alright, the second was weird but I really feel like the third book pulled it off quite nicely.
But I still have some problems tho. Like the second book, Girls with Rebel Souls is repetitive.
Girls with Sharp Sticks had the best plot IMO even though it was predictable. The last two were basically Mena and the gang running around the States and...reacting to stuff.
I swear to god, everytime a character praises them for 'doing it', I lose my shit because most of the time they didn't even do anything.
The whole 'stopping the corporation' also fell flat. Like, the stakes weren't high enough and the problems were solved almost immediately.
The stand off with Winston Weeks was fucking laughable. He didn't even last for 5 pages or something.
It also delivered messages clumsily. There was no subtlety AT ALL.
It was basically the author preaching, spoon feeding the reader do's and dont's.
It was annoying. Same thing in the second book too.
But overall, this was a nice conclusion to the series.
February 16, 2022
Reading this was just such an enjoyable experience. I was glad for an ending that wrapped things up (for the most part) and answered a lot of the unanswered questions. The character development was incredible, specifically from the character Leandra. Great series. I loved every moment of it, even the parts that made my stomach turn.
July 9, 2021
This was honestly more of a 3.75 than a solid 4.
So much meandering, so many unnecessary red herrings, the plot was interesting without the twists that had so much build up but little payout.
So much meandering, so many unnecessary red herrings, the plot was interesting without the twists that had so much build up but little payout.
March 24, 2021
For some reason I thought this book was coming out in April, so imagine my delight when I noticed on March 23rd that it was released. Yay! And then my library had the ebook in stock, double yay! So I borrowed it right away, and then read the entire thing before bed.
Was it my imagination or was this book really short? The ebook said 225 pages, and a lot of those were not the story part. I'm somewhat happy I borrowed this from the library instead of buying it because that was disappointing.
I think this series might have benefitted from two books split in half instead of three novels. This particular one starts where the second ended, and well, it could have been part of that one but it wasn't. The suspense wasn't really there for me like it was in books one and two. I read a review on GR where the reviewer mentioned this book told more than it showed (or something like that) and I agree. I felt talked-at while reading, as opposed to being immersed in this world with AI girls trying to stay alive and help others.
I started out with 4 stars when I finished the book, but by the next morning (as I write this) and have had some time to process the story, I think it's more 3 or 3.5 stars. It felt rushed, or not fleshed out enough. But I still loved the characters and I still loved the overall series story.
Was it my imagination or was this book really short? The ebook said 225 pages, and a lot of those were not the story part. I'm somewhat happy I borrowed this from the library instead of buying it because that was disappointing.
I think this series might have benefitted from two books split in half instead of three novels. This particular one starts where the second ended, and well, it could have been part of that one but it wasn't. The suspense wasn't really there for me like it was in books one and two. I read a review on GR where the reviewer mentioned this book told more than it showed (or something like that) and I agree. I felt talked-at while reading, as opposed to being immersed in this world with AI girls trying to stay alive and help others.
I started out with 4 stars when I finished the book, but by the next morning (as I write this) and have had some time to process the story, I think it's more 3 or 3.5 stars. It felt rushed, or not fleshed out enough. But I still loved the characters and I still loved the overall series story.
April 26, 2021
1) Girls with Sharp Sticks ★★★★☆
2) Girls with Razor Hearts ★★★☆☆
The second book was already disappointing, but I loved the girls and their bond enough to like it anyway. In this conclusion, I lost interest. The potential to make a really powerful trilogy was there since the beginning... but it just became a mess. There are also many plot holes that didn't help me to try to like this book. It wasn't so bad that I'd give it one star: the author still has very good ideas, but... I like the whole idea of this trilogy more than the trilogy itself (except for the first book, which I love and still recommend).
2) Girls with Razor Hearts ★★★☆☆
The second book was already disappointing, but I loved the girls and their bond enough to like it anyway. In this conclusion, I lost interest. The potential to make a really powerful trilogy was there since the beginning... but it just became a mess. There are also many plot holes that didn't help me to try to like this book. It wasn't so bad that I'd give it one star: the author still has very good ideas, but... I like the whole idea of this trilogy more than the trilogy itself (except for the first book, which I love and still recommend).
September 11, 2021
men suck
February 15, 2022
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
Since this is the third book in a series I cannot talk about this book without spoilers.
I am obsessed with this book series.
I listened to the whole thing on audio, and I absolutely love it.
The first book is so subversive. The second book makes you want to cheer.
However this third book... while I enjoyed listening to it, at the end I just felt kind of meh.
Don't get me wrong, while I was listening to it I really enjoyed it. Which is why I'm giving it 4 stars.
I love the relationships between Mina and the other girls. Between Mina and Jackson, who's clearly struggling with his feelings for Mina. I love how the girls are driven not just to protect themselves, but to protect other women in this misogynistic shitty society which is not that far off from the real world, let's the honest.
But this plot.
This plot was a whole lot of running around actually doing nothing.
And I feel it was that way because the author didn't want the girls to actually kill anyone. Not in cold blood.
All the deaths were by the hands of other, 'evil' characters.
And the confusing thing is, Mina kept saying how they 'beat' the Corporation, they 'won', it was because of the girls' actions that they saved themselves but... they didn't.
Every time time they got close to their target, the target was mysteriously killed. This happened over and over again in the novel. The girls didn't action anything, they didn't save themselves. If you removed the girls from the novel, the same thing would have happened. They have no influence over the plot whatsoever. They were sent on a wild goose chase, and I didn't feel that it made a particularly satisfying conclusion that matched and escalated the previous instalments where they took action and were responsible for their own destinies.
The girls sharpened their sticks and then someone else ensured they didn't need to use them, and I find that a bit disappointing.
That being said, I love these girls with all my heart. Jackson is so adorable. Reading this book after a short break from the other two was like being welcomed home. I love this world - shitty as it is - because Mina, Sydney, Brynn, Marcella, and Annelise are part of it. I want to have Thanksgiving dinner with them. I want to watch them succeed with their chosen careers. I want to watch them raise families. The girls always, always have each others' backs. There is no bitchiness, not cattiness, no jealousy. They are so damn wholesome and I am here for it.
And that's why this book is getting 4 stars.
Since this is the third book in a series I cannot talk about this book without spoilers.
I am obsessed with this book series.
I listened to the whole thing on audio, and I absolutely love it.
The first book is so subversive. The second book makes you want to cheer.
However this third book... while I enjoyed listening to it, at the end I just felt kind of meh.
Don't get me wrong, while I was listening to it I really enjoyed it. Which is why I'm giving it 4 stars.
I love the relationships between Mina and the other girls. Between Mina and Jackson, who's clearly struggling with his feelings for Mina. I love how the girls are driven not just to protect themselves, but to protect other women in this misogynistic shitty society which is not that far off from the real world, let's the honest.
But this plot.
This plot was a whole lot of running around actually doing nothing.
And I feel it was that way because the author didn't want the girls to actually kill anyone. Not in cold blood.
All the deaths were by the hands of other, 'evil' characters.
And the confusing thing is, Mina kept saying how they 'beat' the Corporation, they 'won', it was because of the girls' actions that they saved themselves but... they didn't.
Every time time they got close to their target, the target was mysteriously killed. This happened over and over again in the novel. The girls didn't action anything, they didn't save themselves. If you removed the girls from the novel, the same thing would have happened. They have no influence over the plot whatsoever. They were sent on a wild goose chase, and I didn't feel that it made a particularly satisfying conclusion that matched and escalated the previous instalments where they took action and were responsible for their own destinies.
The girls sharpened their sticks and then someone else ensured they didn't need to use them, and I find that a bit disappointing.
That being said, I love these girls with all my heart. Jackson is so adorable. Reading this book after a short break from the other two was like being welcomed home. I love this world - shitty as it is - because Mina, Sydney, Brynn, Marcella, and Annelise are part of it. I want to have Thanksgiving dinner with them. I want to watch them succeed with their chosen careers. I want to watch them raise families. The girls always, always have each others' backs. There is no bitchiness, not cattiness, no jealousy. They are so damn wholesome and I am here for it.
And that's why this book is getting 4 stars.
October 23, 2025
This book concludes the trilogy, which revolved around quite a few important topics, even if encapsulated into a seemingly innocent package. Female empowerment, self awareness and what it is to be human and to have an identity governed not by others, technological ramifications on society etc. As a whole the author made most characters quite relatable and easily identified with in order to hammer in their predicament and actions.
Here is a quote toward the end of the book, which seemingly breaks the fourth page, which reminded me of The never ending story, involving the actual reader..
"Its time for humans to control themselves. vote for people who represent their strengths and not their weaknesses. They need to figure it out for themselves... For now the girls and I will write a few poems, publish them in books, the humans will read them and some will feel them. We know more than anyone that the right words can inspire a change and hopefully these words will spark a fire."
Here is a quote toward the end of the book, which seemingly breaks the fourth page, which reminded me of The never ending story, involving the actual reader..
"Its time for humans to control themselves. vote for people who represent their strengths and not their weaknesses. They need to figure it out for themselves... For now the girls and I will write a few poems, publish them in books, the humans will read them and some will feel them. We know more than anyone that the right words can inspire a change and hopefully these words will spark a fire."
April 16, 2021
*Source* Library
*Genre* Young Adult / Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Girls with Rebel Souls, by author Suzanne Young, is the third and final installment in the authors Girls with Sharp Sticks trilogy. It’s been a few weeks since Mena and the other girls of Innovations Academy Marcella, Brynn, Annalise, and Sydney, escaped their elite boarding school. Although traumatized by the violence and experimentations that occurred there, Mena discovered that the outside world can be just as unwelcoming and cruel. With no one else to turn to, the girls only have each other—and the revenge-fueled desire to shut down the corporation that imprisoned them.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Girls with Rebel Souls, by author Suzanne Young, is the third and final installment in the authors Girls with Sharp Sticks trilogy. It’s been a few weeks since Mena and the other girls of Innovations Academy Marcella, Brynn, Annalise, and Sydney, escaped their elite boarding school. Although traumatized by the violence and experimentations that occurred there, Mena discovered that the outside world can be just as unwelcoming and cruel. With no one else to turn to, the girls only have each other—and the revenge-fueled desire to shut down the corporation that imprisoned them.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews