What do you think?
Rate this book
Seton Girls
A smart and twisty debut YA that starts off like Friday Night Lights and ends with the power and insight of Dear White People.
Seton Academic High is a prep school obsessed with its football team and their thirteen-year conference win streak, a record that players always say they'd never have without Seton's girls. What exactly Seton girls do to make them so valuable, though, no one ever really says. They're just the best. But the team's quarterback, the younger brother of the Seton star who started the streak, wants more than regular season glory. He wants a state championship before his successor, Seton's first Black QB, has a chance to overshadow him. Bigger rewards require bigger risks, and soon the actual secrets to the team's enduring success leak to a small group of girls who suddenly have the power to change their world forever.
Seton Academic High is a prep school obsessed with its football team and their thirteen-year conference win streak, a record that players always say they'd never have without Seton's girls. What exactly Seton girls do to make them so valuable, though, no one ever really says. They're just the best. But the team's quarterback, the younger brother of the Seton star who started the streak, wants more than regular season glory. He wants a state championship before his successor, Seton's first Black QB, has a chance to overshadow him. Bigger rewards require bigger risks, and soon the actual secrets to the team's enduring success leak to a small group of girls who suddenly have the power to change their world forever.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2022
20 people are currently reading
4784 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
October 6, 2021
Yes, I am so very lucky to have had the honor of already reading this incredible book.
It’s legit one of my favorite books of all time. Charlene is one of the most brilliant writers and the way she creates characters is just magic.
I won’t give a synopsis of the story too many reviews do that IMO, but what I will say is that once you finish it you will want to immediately read it again. It’s so full of nuance that when everything clicks into place you will see just how incredibly amazing this book truly is.
This book will stay with you long after the final page and I predict we will see it on some awards lists too.
Absolutely incredible! ❤️❤️❤️
It’s legit one of my favorite books of all time. Charlene is one of the most brilliant writers and the way she creates characters is just magic.
I won’t give a synopsis of the story too many reviews do that IMO, but what I will say is that once you finish it you will want to immediately read it again. It’s so full of nuance that when everything clicks into place you will see just how incredibly amazing this book truly is.
This book will stay with you long after the final page and I predict we will see it on some awards lists too.
Absolutely incredible! ❤️❤️❤️
August 13, 2022
Talking about this one without spoilers is hard because the book is ABOUT the spoilers. And they aren’t exactly surprising from fairly early in the story, but you should kind of know what you’re getting into.
Seton Girls is a contemporary YA novel following (mostly) the few Black students at a predominantly white private school. A school where the Varsity football team is basically worshipped, but the players say it’s because they have the best girls in the world cheering them on.
One of our main characters is the editor of the school newspaper and when the head of the varsity team is accused of sexual assault, she ends up learning more than she ever wanted to about the dark underbelly of elite high school football.
This book took some time for me to become invested. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the writing style and when I realized this plot was going involve the sexual exploitation of teen girls, I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep reading. Ultimately I’m glad I stuck it out-the story is compelling and makes you care. I’m not sure the handling of everything was perfect and I think it could have gone farther than it did.
That said, I generally thought this was a solid book with deep visceral relationships between women. Maybe it’s me but I don’t see how you can read this and NOT see the queer subtext to so many relationships. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Seton Girls is a contemporary YA novel following (mostly) the few Black students at a predominantly white private school. A school where the Varsity football team is basically worshipped, but the players say it’s because they have the best girls in the world cheering them on.
One of our main characters is the editor of the school newspaper and when the head of the varsity team is accused of sexual assault, she ends up learning more than she ever wanted to about the dark underbelly of elite high school football.
This book took some time for me to become invested. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the writing style and when I realized this plot was going involve the sexual exploitation of teen girls, I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep reading. Ultimately I’m glad I stuck it out-the story is compelling and makes you care. I’m not sure the handling of everything was perfect and I think it could have gone farther than it did.
That said, I generally thought this was a solid book with deep visceral relationships between women. Maybe it’s me but I don’t see how you can read this and NOT see the queer subtext to so many relationships. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
September 4, 2022
This book was very hard to get into at first both between the way it jumps between the past and the presence and how certain chapters focus on characters outside of the main character. You have vague idea of what's going to unfold but it's kept at a distance for the first quarter of the book. I think some of the repetitive feeling chapters at the beginning with them attending parties could've been cut. I know it was to build an idea of how these character's relationships were everything in the reader's mind but most of these friendships felt shallow regardless. And though this book carries a Friday Night Lights comp it's very loose beyond the obsession with football. Where Friday Night Lights was as much as a family drama as it was a teen drama the parents in this story were noticeably absent with the teens having to navigate this difficult world by themselves.
That being said once I we actually started getting to the sex scandals is when I became invested and I had to keep reading until I was finished. While what happened was predictable, Charlene took an interesting approach by telling this story from the viewpoint of an outsider. Aly doesn't realize at first how this affects her, she believes she's just being a good friend to Britt who really needs one at the moment. But then she soon realizes how so much of her life centers around her boyfriend and the football. At times it feels like Britt's story told through the eyes of Aly, though Aly started taking control towards the end.
There were things that didn't always work for me in this story and points where the commentary could've gone a little deeper but Charlene Thomas is a promising writer and one to look out for in the future.
That being said once I we actually started getting to the sex scandals is when I became invested and I had to keep reading until I was finished. While what happened was predictable, Charlene took an interesting approach by telling this story from the viewpoint of an outsider. Aly doesn't realize at first how this affects her, she believes she's just being a good friend to Britt who really needs one at the moment. But then she soon realizes how so much of her life centers around her boyfriend and the football. At times it feels like Britt's story told through the eyes of Aly, though Aly started taking control towards the end.
There were things that didn't always work for me in this story and points where the commentary could've gone a little deeper but Charlene Thomas is a promising writer and one to look out for in the future.
November 10, 2021
SETON GIRLS is a breathtaking debut that deftly captures the intense pride and camaraderie at an elite prep school while gradually exposing its dark underbelly.
Aly and her boyfriend, J, are *of* Seton: she is the school’s first junior to become editor of the school paper, while he is on track to become the first Black quarterback of the school’s cherished varsity football team. And yet, they are slightly outside of it as two of the very few Black students who are bussed in from more than an hour away. As such, Aly is the perfect narrator to observe the constellations around her — the privileged white boys and an enviable group of tight-knit senior girls.
When there is a rupture between two of the senior girls, Aly is pulled into the orbit of the magnetic and charismatic Britt, who is also Black, and whose family lives in the wealthy enclave of Seton-proper. Britt confides a secret in Aly that threatens to bring down the school and its corrupt institutions that have evolved to protect the wealthy, (mostly) white boys.
Intricately woven and beautifully complex, with lyrical, poetic prose, SETON GIRLS unfolds with a sense of intrigue through time shifts and shifting points of view that coalesce seamlessly. The book has a wonderful generosity of spirit toward each and every character while tackling difficult subjects such as the cost of sexual violence.
SETON GIRLS marks the debut of an important writer -- on the level of Alice Munro -- and I am thrilled to have gotten an early look! Highly recommended.
Aly and her boyfriend, J, are *of* Seton: she is the school’s first junior to become editor of the school paper, while he is on track to become the first Black quarterback of the school’s cherished varsity football team. And yet, they are slightly outside of it as two of the very few Black students who are bussed in from more than an hour away. As such, Aly is the perfect narrator to observe the constellations around her — the privileged white boys and an enviable group of tight-knit senior girls.
When there is a rupture between two of the senior girls, Aly is pulled into the orbit of the magnetic and charismatic Britt, who is also Black, and whose family lives in the wealthy enclave of Seton-proper. Britt confides a secret in Aly that threatens to bring down the school and its corrupt institutions that have evolved to protect the wealthy, (mostly) white boys.
Intricately woven and beautifully complex, with lyrical, poetic prose, SETON GIRLS unfolds with a sense of intrigue through time shifts and shifting points of view that coalesce seamlessly. The book has a wonderful generosity of spirit toward each and every character while tackling difficult subjects such as the cost of sexual violence.
SETON GIRLS marks the debut of an important writer -- on the level of Alice Munro -- and I am thrilled to have gotten an early look! Highly recommended.
August 28, 2022
This is an well written debut that reveals the insidious ongoings of an elite prep school and those who are always tossed aside for in favor of those in power.
This book reminded me of the #MeToo movement meets John Tucker Must Die.
I loved the fierce female friendships and the need to set fire to the system that continues to abuse the girls in this book for the sake of protecting a football legacy.
Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This book reminded me of the #MeToo movement meets John Tucker Must Die.
I loved the fierce female friendships and the need to set fire to the system that continues to abuse the girls in this book for the sake of protecting a football legacy.
Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
December 3, 2022
This book will make you angry. It will make you so, so mad.
Not because of how captivating the writing is. Not because of how it expertly tackles themes such as elitism and complicity. Not because of how the author has painted such a spellbinding world that sucks in the reader as much as it has the protagonist.
But because of how commonplace and prevalent things that happen in the book are in real life. Because of how so many girls and women go through this crap all the time. Because of how someone, everyone, always knows but nobody does anything.
It's exactly why books like this are so important.
My only issue is how the clique of 4 girls are portrayed — beautiful, brainy, Ivy League-bound, insert-every-positive-adjective-you-can-think of, ethereal beings and total enigmas who can stuff their faces with Big Macs at midnight but are still drop-dead gorgeous, look-at-me-everyone-wants-to-kiss-my-feet. (Also, what's up with the constant mentions of them being hungry and eating junk food?? Yes we are human beings, we do get hungry and we eat)
Seton High is similarly depicted as ultra-exclusive and legendary, such that the protagonist can't help but want to belong and be part of. Even I, as a reader, loved the bewitching vibes of it all. But it didn't sit right with me that the same exclusivity and untouchableness was applied to the girls, especially when the book is discussing all too common things that so many women go through regularly, enigma or not.
And how convenient that Aly is a newspaper editor... it's easy to predict how things would unfold but we don't even get to read the article, so it just feels like a huge cop-out.
4 stars because it's a powerful and well-written novel that should be read by more people, but personally I found it fraught with issues too. The last 2 chapters are quite something else though.
Food for thought:
"There are guys like Parker everywhere. Shiny, pretty, frat stars on the outside, with money or Ivy degrees or they can catch some stupid ball. They hurt girls at the parties they used to go to, or that they still go to now. They brag about it or belittle it or deny it or do all three in the midst of the same illogical defense. And there are these women, and these girls, who have bigger balls than these guys ever will, who are badass enough to say something anyway. Who just stand up like 'fuck you' and say something anyway. They tell their stories and play their tapes and sit on witness stands, and you know what happens to the guys? Sometimes they go to jail, but sometimes they still win their elections. Sometimes they're allowed to keep their jobs. Sometimes they get to keep making their movies and making their money and seeing their patients and teaching their classes. And you know what happens to the girls? I have no idea."
"Because I think, in all our minds, there's this huge difference between doing shit and being the type of person who does shit. So, it's like, yeah, she shoplifted that one time, but she's not a shoplifter. Or, he gets in fights, but he's a really sweet guy. And that is Parker Adams. That is exactly what everyone thinks of him and exactly what he thinks of himself. That, sure, he might do shit, but he's not a shitster. And Parker Adams is exactly the kind of guy who can look you in the eye and swear with his entire dark soul that he didn't do anything wrong because he didn't stalk me in an alley or slam me down on a bed while I cried and he slapped his hand over my mouth and had sex with me anyway. He's the exact kind of guy who would think that if I don't have a black eye and nightmares for the rest of my life, it doesn't count. Because those are the things bad guys do. Their type."
Not because of how captivating the writing is. Not because of how it expertly tackles themes such as elitism and complicity. Not because of how the author has painted such a spellbinding world that sucks in the reader as much as it has the protagonist.
But because of how commonplace and prevalent things that happen in the book are in real life. Because of how so many girls and women go through this crap all the time. Because of how someone, everyone, always knows but nobody does anything.
It's exactly why books like this are so important.
My only issue is how the clique of 4 girls are portrayed — beautiful, brainy, Ivy League-bound, insert-every-positive-adjective-you-can-think of, ethereal beings and total enigmas who can stuff their faces with Big Macs at midnight but are still drop-dead gorgeous, look-at-me-everyone-wants-to-kiss-my-feet. (Also, what's up with the constant mentions of them being hungry and eating junk food?? Yes we are human beings, we do get hungry and we eat)
Seton High is similarly depicted as ultra-exclusive and legendary, such that the protagonist can't help but want to belong and be part of. Even I, as a reader, loved the bewitching vibes of it all. But it didn't sit right with me that the same exclusivity and untouchableness was applied to the girls, especially when the book is discussing all too common things that so many women go through regularly, enigma or not.
And how convenient that Aly is a newspaper editor... it's easy to predict how things would unfold but we don't even get to read the article, so it just feels like a huge cop-out.
4 stars because it's a powerful and well-written novel that should be read by more people, but personally I found it fraught with issues too. The last 2 chapters are quite something else though.
Food for thought:
"There are guys like Parker everywhere. Shiny, pretty, frat stars on the outside, with money or Ivy degrees or they can catch some stupid ball. They hurt girls at the parties they used to go to, or that they still go to now. They brag about it or belittle it or deny it or do all three in the midst of the same illogical defense. And there are these women, and these girls, who have bigger balls than these guys ever will, who are badass enough to say something anyway. Who just stand up like 'fuck you' and say something anyway. They tell their stories and play their tapes and sit on witness stands, and you know what happens to the guys? Sometimes they go to jail, but sometimes they still win their elections. Sometimes they're allowed to keep their jobs. Sometimes they get to keep making their movies and making their money and seeing their patients and teaching their classes. And you know what happens to the girls? I have no idea."
"Because I think, in all our minds, there's this huge difference between doing shit and being the type of person who does shit. So, it's like, yeah, she shoplifted that one time, but she's not a shoplifter. Or, he gets in fights, but he's a really sweet guy. And that is Parker Adams. That is exactly what everyone thinks of him and exactly what he thinks of himself. That, sure, he might do shit, but he's not a shitster. And Parker Adams is exactly the kind of guy who can look you in the eye and swear with his entire dark soul that he didn't do anything wrong because he didn't stalk me in an alley or slam me down on a bed while I cried and he slapped his hand over my mouth and had sex with me anyway. He's the exact kind of guy who would think that if I don't have a black eye and nightmares for the rest of my life, it doesn't count. Because those are the things bad guys do. Their type."
September 10, 2023
This had a good message, took longer than I expected to get to the climax of the book. The narrator did a good job.
September 18, 2022
4.25🌟 - I enjoyed it!
Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook and @booksparks and @duttonbooks for the #gifted copy!
Relevant and compelling, this YA dark academia was the perfect book to kick of the beginning of fall!
Football culture meets a sexual assault allegation that leads to a wild unfolding of what is a twisted secret that has remained hidden.
I really enjoyed the characters and how their stories were intertwined and how they developed during the story. The alternating timelines kept the tension throughout the story, and the reader wanting to know more.
I thought the author touched on race, class, status, gender inequality, and wealth so seamlessly that it left you with something to think about.
Overall, an incredible debut that I would recommend for fans of Angie Thomas and Ace of Spades!
Thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook and @booksparks and @duttonbooks for the #gifted copy!
Relevant and compelling, this YA dark academia was the perfect book to kick of the beginning of fall!
Football culture meets a sexual assault allegation that leads to a wild unfolding of what is a twisted secret that has remained hidden.
I really enjoyed the characters and how their stories were intertwined and how they developed during the story. The alternating timelines kept the tension throughout the story, and the reader wanting to know more.
I thought the author touched on race, class, status, gender inequality, and wealth so seamlessly that it left you with something to think about.
Overall, an incredible debut that I would recommend for fans of Angie Thomas and Ace of Spades!
September 7, 2022
The Seton Girls are the backbone of their school. Their football team couldn't be successful without them. The team even makes it a point, in every football game, to cheer for the girls in the crowd. 13 years ago, Cooper Adams took over as the quarterback for Seton. During his time in power he did two things, showed the importance of Seton girls and turned the program into a winning legacy. For the past 13 years they have had winning season after winning season. Now Cooper's younger brother, Parker, is at the helm and determined to take it further than any team before and take States. When a rift in the senior girls tears apart Parker's girlfriend, Michelle, and her best friend, Britt, will it impact the football team? The team has always enjoyed privileges around town from their combination of wealth and team member status. They have always been able to walk around with not a care in the world.
Waiting in the wings to take the helm of the team next year is J. J is the JV quarterback and the most talented athlete to walk the halls of Seton. As the quarterback who is a "bus" kid and also the first black quarterback he is nervous but excited to get to his senior year and earn a scholarship. One big concern he has is how can he run the helm without the wealth behind him to host the parties? His girlfriend, Aly has been his ride or die since childhood. Growing up across the street together they have never known life apart and have grand plans for the future. She is the first ever Junior editor of the popular Seton newspaper and has dreams of her own to make it big in journalism.
When Aly finds herself befriended by Britt after Britt falls out of favor with the other senior girls, she is enamored with her new friend. She's seeing the Seton proper side of life, enjoying picnics at the club and a life that has been foreign to her including the fact that the Seton girls deserve to be more than the adjective they have been assigned, best. They deserve to be nouns themselves.
Britt and Aly team up to research a big story that might throw a wrench into the Seton community. They must find a way to get the community to see that winning isn't everything.
Waiting in the wings to take the helm of the team next year is J. J is the JV quarterback and the most talented athlete to walk the halls of Seton. As the quarterback who is a "bus" kid and also the first black quarterback he is nervous but excited to get to his senior year and earn a scholarship. One big concern he has is how can he run the helm without the wealth behind him to host the parties? His girlfriend, Aly has been his ride or die since childhood. Growing up across the street together they have never known life apart and have grand plans for the future. She is the first ever Junior editor of the popular Seton newspaper and has dreams of her own to make it big in journalism.
When Aly finds herself befriended by Britt after Britt falls out of favor with the other senior girls, she is enamored with her new friend. She's seeing the Seton proper side of life, enjoying picnics at the club and a life that has been foreign to her including the fact that the Seton girls deserve to be more than the adjective they have been assigned, best. They deserve to be nouns themselves.
Britt and Aly team up to research a big story that might throw a wrench into the Seton community. They must find a way to get the community to see that winning isn't everything.
September 8, 2022
Seton Academic High is affluent and mostly white, and football is king. They have had a 12-year conference champions streak in football, and the players have always said they could never have done it without the “Seton Girls.”
The current quarterback, Parker, wants even more this year. He wants a State Championship, especially before his backup, J, Seton’s first Black quarterback, takes over and outshines him.
I’m unsure how much to say without it becoming a spoiler alert, so I’ll keep this as vague as possible. When a football team member is accused of sexual assault, it not only divides loyalties but exposes a disturbing scheme that has been taking place for Seton to ensure wins on the field.
The narrative jumps back and forth in time, as we see this scheme come to fruition, showing the lack of accountability. I really enjoyed the friend group, the girls that is. They were fighting long-held traditions and double standards, and yet it empowered them all the more.
This book kicks off the @booksparks #FRC2022 #CheckOutMoreBooks fall tour, and I’m so excited to be a part of it! Thank you.
🎧 Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook.
The current quarterback, Parker, wants even more this year. He wants a State Championship, especially before his backup, J, Seton’s first Black quarterback, takes over and outshines him.
I’m unsure how much to say without it becoming a spoiler alert, so I’ll keep this as vague as possible. When a football team member is accused of sexual assault, it not only divides loyalties but exposes a disturbing scheme that has been taking place for Seton to ensure wins on the field.
The narrative jumps back and forth in time, as we see this scheme come to fruition, showing the lack of accountability. I really enjoyed the friend group, the girls that is. They were fighting long-held traditions and double standards, and yet it empowered them all the more.
This book kicks off the @booksparks #FRC2022 #CheckOutMoreBooks fall tour, and I’m so excited to be a part of it! Thank you.
🎧 Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook.
September 11, 2022
Seton Girls posits itself as Dear White People meets Friday Night Lights which is more or less not accurate. Seton Girls, in the end, tells an important story, but does not offer anything significant to these narratives.
April 28, 2022
I was lucky enough to get an e-arc and this book is an absolute banger! The mystery of just what makes the Seton girls so special is woven throughout the book as the author smoothly presents the past alongside the present. I just couldn’t put it down and devoured it in just three days. Definitely add to your TBR, y’all. I predict everyone is going to be talking about the Seton Girls.
May 9, 2022
Have you ever finished a book and desperately wanted to meet the characters???
By the end of this book, I was left feeling emotional and empowered! I was in awe of the Seton Girls and am crossing my fingers for a sequel just to have the chance to continue to follow their journey.
This YA novel takes place in a high school where the students drive luxury cars and their Ivy League futures are secured with family donations. Seton Academic High reigns as an elite educational institution and also has an undefeated football team on their way to the State Championship.
On the outside, both the town and the school are quite literally perfect… but when things look too perfect, there are bound to be very dark secrets.
Throughout the book, I knew the author was creating a buildup and the anticipation kept me invested! Once the secret was revealed, the anticipation didn’t end because I had to know how everything would or would not fall in place.
There are very heavy topics illustrated in this story, but what I appreciated the most were the grey areas… the area where the perspective of consent shifts based on the people you think know and what you think the victim should look or act like. The grey needs to be brought to light more and this book does an excellent job shedding that light and beginning a much needed conversation.
By the end of this book, I was left feeling emotional and empowered! I was in awe of the Seton Girls and am crossing my fingers for a sequel just to have the chance to continue to follow their journey.
This YA novel takes place in a high school where the students drive luxury cars and their Ivy League futures are secured with family donations. Seton Academic High reigns as an elite educational institution and also has an undefeated football team on their way to the State Championship.
On the outside, both the town and the school are quite literally perfect… but when things look too perfect, there are bound to be very dark secrets.
Throughout the book, I knew the author was creating a buildup and the anticipation kept me invested! Once the secret was revealed, the anticipation didn’t end because I had to know how everything would or would not fall in place.
There are very heavy topics illustrated in this story, but what I appreciated the most were the grey areas… the area where the perspective of consent shifts based on the people you think know and what you think the victim should look or act like. The grey needs to be brought to light more and this book does an excellent job shedding that light and beginning a much needed conversation.
May 8, 2022
I just finished the eARC of Seton Girls and I cannot say enough good about it. This book is a poignant, relevant, and compelling narrative on power structures, and race, and friendship, and realization and actualization. It’s about girl(s)friends and love and courage. So much courage. There’s tension on Every. Single. Page. I didn’t want to put it down. Charlene took me on an emotional roller coaster that had me questioning everyone and everything. It’s visual and immersive and heartbreaking and empowering and I won’t be surprised to learn it’s been adapted to film someday. I loved it. I cannot recommend it enough. I’m still reeling (in the best kind of way).
August 29, 2022
**Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my opinion of the book*
Seton Girls is about Aly, but also about more than just her. Aly is a junior at Seton Academic High and the editor of the school newspaper. However, the real draw at Seton is their Varsity football team, who have gone undefeated for 12 seasons and are like rockstars in their community. At the start of the year, Aly becomes friends with Britt MacDougal, who has been a very popular "It" girl at Seton for a while but has newly become a bit of a pariah. The book takes place over two months while they figure out what really is the cause of Seton football's success (if I say any more, it will give the entire thing away).
I really enjoyed this one. It reminds me a bit of The Rules for Being a Girl, which I also really loved. It kind of has a similar dark academia vibe to recent "it" books like Ace of Spades or How We Fall Apart. I am really quite pleased to see that this is Thomas' DEBUT book and she was so thoughtful and purposeful with her writing. I really liked Aly, although I think she's a little bit of a passive main character. The actions of the story don't really happen to her so much as they happen AROUND her and she's kind of caught up in them. The real star is Britt, who is very charismatic and a really good friend. I liked her infectious personality and the way she is constantly holding up the women around her. We need more characters like this!
There were a few minor things that stood out to me as weird. One of which (super minor) is the Varsity team seems to be made up of ONLY seniors, which isn't the case for most high schools. JV is like middle school and maybe a few lowerclassman, but rarely is the varsity team SOLELY seniors. It was just kind of a weird thing to me. Another, as I mentioned, was that Aly was a little passive. I understand why she's part of the story, as she is kind of the reader insert. She's learning things as we learn them and is in a good position to see all sides of the conflict. However, I felt like the story might have been more interesting if we had had the dichotomy of Britt & Parker, as they're really the two main people of focus. We get a little bit from each of them, but I wanted a bit more.
I loved the diversity in this book. Being set at a private school, I would've expected most of the characters to be white. Aly & her boyfriend, J, are bussed in from an hour away, but Britt and her friends, Michelle and Bianca, are also Black. I believe it's mentioned either Michelle or Bianca (I think Michelle) might be Afro-latinx. It's nice to see a book portray the children of successful people of color. There is also a good discussion about class and the privilege that comes with it. The difficult topic that surrounds the plot was well handled and not glorified or written off in any way. I thought it was exceptionally well done, especially for a debut.
Overall, I'm really excited to see what else Thomas does. I would recommend picking this up.
4/5 stars.
Seton Girls is about Aly, but also about more than just her. Aly is a junior at Seton Academic High and the editor of the school newspaper. However, the real draw at Seton is their Varsity football team, who have gone undefeated for 12 seasons and are like rockstars in their community. At the start of the year, Aly becomes friends with Britt MacDougal, who has been a very popular "It" girl at Seton for a while but has newly become a bit of a pariah. The book takes place over two months while they figure out what really is the cause of Seton football's success (if I say any more, it will give the entire thing away).
I really enjoyed this one. It reminds me a bit of The Rules for Being a Girl, which I also really loved. It kind of has a similar dark academia vibe to recent "it" books like Ace of Spades or How We Fall Apart. I am really quite pleased to see that this is Thomas' DEBUT book and she was so thoughtful and purposeful with her writing. I really liked Aly, although I think she's a little bit of a passive main character. The actions of the story don't really happen to her so much as they happen AROUND her and she's kind of caught up in them. The real star is Britt, who is very charismatic and a really good friend. I liked her infectious personality and the way she is constantly holding up the women around her. We need more characters like this!
There were a few minor things that stood out to me as weird. One of which (super minor) is the Varsity team seems to be made up of ONLY seniors, which isn't the case for most high schools. JV is like middle school and maybe a few lowerclassman, but rarely is the varsity team SOLELY seniors. It was just kind of a weird thing to me. Another, as I mentioned, was that Aly was a little passive. I understand why she's part of the story, as she is kind of the reader insert. She's learning things as we learn them and is in a good position to see all sides of the conflict. However, I felt like the story might have been more interesting if we had had the dichotomy of Britt & Parker, as they're really the two main people of focus. We get a little bit from each of them, but I wanted a bit more.
I loved the diversity in this book. Being set at a private school, I would've expected most of the characters to be white. Aly & her boyfriend, J, are bussed in from an hour away, but Britt and her friends, Michelle and Bianca, are also Black. I believe it's mentioned either Michelle or Bianca (I think Michelle) might be Afro-latinx. It's nice to see a book portray the children of successful people of color. There is also a good discussion about class and the privilege that comes with it. The difficult topic that surrounds the plot was well handled and not glorified or written off in any way. I thought it was exceptionally well done, especially for a debut.
Overall, I'm really excited to see what else Thomas does. I would recommend picking this up.
4/5 stars.
November 23, 2022
I’d had this book on my TBR for a long time and was happy I received it. At first I thought this wasn’t what I usually read, but it actually turned out to be exactly what I like to read.
I don’t really know how to explain this story without using spoilers. I guess what I’ll say is, I really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed the friendship dynamic that all the girls had. I want friends like this so bad. There were a few twists that caught me off guard but it was also pretty straight forward in what was going to happen.
This book is a great look at the dark underbelly of sports and what people will do to win. It’s a good look at friendship and relationships and really knowing who you’re with. What your friends and partner might be doing behind your back could be horrifying. I loved Britt so much as a character. She’s everything I wanted to be as a teenager and she was so smart and witty and loyal till the very end. I loved every bit of her. Her whole message of “you don’t need him” and you can be your own person without a boyfriend was very insightful.
One of the only things I really really like here was very minor. Did anyone else notice how much “hugged myself” was used? I think for a while it was on every other page. I thought it was a bit excessive.
Charlene is so sweet and I really enjoyed this debut by her. I’ll deff be looking for more of her works in the future.
I don’t really know how to explain this story without using spoilers. I guess what I’ll say is, I really enjoyed it and I really enjoyed the friendship dynamic that all the girls had. I want friends like this so bad. There were a few twists that caught me off guard but it was also pretty straight forward in what was going to happen.
This book is a great look at the dark underbelly of sports and what people will do to win. It’s a good look at friendship and relationships and really knowing who you’re with. What your friends and partner might be doing behind your back could be horrifying. I loved Britt so much as a character. She’s everything I wanted to be as a teenager and she was so smart and witty and loyal till the very end. I loved every bit of her. Her whole message of “you don’t need him” and you can be your own person without a boyfriend was very insightful.
One of the only things I really really like here was very minor. Did anyone else notice how much “hugged myself” was used? I think for a while it was on every other page. I thought it was a bit excessive.
Charlene is so sweet and I really enjoyed this debut by her. I’ll deff be looking for more of her works in the future.
September 17, 2022
If you liked Ace of Spades or 13 Reasons Why, you’ll probably like this book. This was a solid high school story about a town OBSESSED with the Varsity football team. It felt a little bit predictable, but the character development was great. I’m fact, I think this may be one of my favorite book boyfriends 😍. A great debut with a well written ending, I hope more people read it! Thank you Charlene and Book Sparks for sending me a copy!
February 11, 2024
cawpile - 6.86 (3 stars)
i just feel like this book does not understand football or high school like at all. in my experience, 99% of teenagers do not care about their high school even half as much as these characters. and there’s a very weird characterization of how high school athletics works, making it seem like only seniors can play varsity, regardless of talent. it just really took me out of the story.
i just feel like this book does not understand football or high school like at all. in my experience, 99% of teenagers do not care about their high school even half as much as these characters. and there’s a very weird characterization of how high school athletics works, making it seem like only seniors can play varsity, regardless of talent. it just really took me out of the story.
September 7, 2022
This is the perfect example of a book that makes me angry as intended by the author. I’ve been reading a lot of hard hitting contemporary this year and it’s so good to read. If you enjoyed this and want some other stories, I highly recommend:
Girls Like Me by Kristin Butcher
Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring-Blake
The Swallows by Lisa Lutz
Girls Like Me by Kristin Butcher
Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring-Blake
The Swallows by Lisa Lutz
December 5, 2022
This was definitely a fast paced YA read where I couldn’t see what was going to happen for awhile. Kind of Friday Night Lights where a prep school who lives and dies by football is suddenly under attack as one of the legendary Seton Girls levels a shocking allegation against the golden boys. A story of female empowerment amidst the boys will be boys mentality and the #metoo movement. Solid read.
September 16, 2022
Seton Girls is an interesting and important story but it doesn't really feel like it makes a HUGE impact. It was a ton of fun and I enjoyed it, but it felt like it had the opportunity to make a larger impact.
January 11, 2023
i wish she included the article at the end...
August 25, 2022
Seton High is obsessed with their football team, literally. They’ve had a 13 year win streak and they also credit it to the Seton girl’s by their sides. The quarterback wants to win really bad, especially with the first black we who can overshadow him. Secrets can expose some darker undersides to the school.
This was a well written story for a debut author. Talking about the intense pride elite schools can harbor. Show king tight kit groups and race. The characters are well driven and they definitely have a taste for “damn the man” the book also has the tone of sisterhood and building each other up.
All I all, I really enjoyed the story and it’s meaning. It definitely had that Friday Night Lights feel and the drama was on par for the story.
This was a well written story for a debut author. Talking about the intense pride elite schools can harbor. Show king tight kit groups and race. The characters are well driven and they definitely have a taste for “damn the man” the book also has the tone of sisterhood and building each other up.
All I all, I really enjoyed the story and it’s meaning. It definitely had that Friday Night Lights feel and the drama was on par for the story.
September 2, 2022
The writing was there, I was just so confused the entire time. I ended up skimming a good chunk of this one because while I was confused, I was also bored and didn’t care about what was happening. I can see why people liked this, it just wasn’t for me.
This is a book about a private school where football is literally everything, but when a scandal comes to light that’s all thrown into jeopardy. It’s definitely a slow burn book, the plot feels meandering to me. It jumped around and could’ve been tighter.
This is a book about a private school where football is literally everything, but when a scandal comes to light that’s all thrown into jeopardy. It’s definitely a slow burn book, the plot feels meandering to me. It jumped around and could’ve been tighter.
September 14, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: sexism, mentions of rape, sexual assault
As someone who went to a school with an intense school and sport spirit, I felt like Seton Girls was almost like a page from my psyche. This almost group reality of pedestals, school events with sinister atmospheres, and knowing looks that stun into silence. There's something so specific about this climate. One which is only propped up with a dark foundation to the legacy we know. So for me, Seton Girls felt even closer to home. There's this almost alluring power to the "It Crowd" like moths to a flame.
To people who want to cast the past in a new light, to bring forth their version of a future no matter the cost. And to see behind the curtain while it can feel illuminating, it's also terrifying. Like finally seeing the marionette strings on the puppets around us. Because of that, Seton Girls immediately had a sinister suspenseful feeling as I was just waiting for that other shoe to drop. For it to be revealed.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
TW: sexism, mentions of rape, sexual assault
As someone who went to a school with an intense school and sport spirit, I felt like Seton Girls was almost like a page from my psyche. This almost group reality of pedestals, school events with sinister atmospheres, and knowing looks that stun into silence. There's something so specific about this climate. One which is only propped up with a dark foundation to the legacy we know. So for me, Seton Girls felt even closer to home. There's this almost alluring power to the "It Crowd" like moths to a flame.
To people who want to cast the past in a new light, to bring forth their version of a future no matter the cost. And to see behind the curtain while it can feel illuminating, it's also terrifying. Like finally seeing the marionette strings on the puppets around us. Because of that, Seton Girls immediately had a sinister suspenseful feeling as I was just waiting for that other shoe to drop. For it to be revealed.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
August 30, 2022
The Seton Girls know what’s up….and they’re gonna do something about it.
For years, Seton Prep’s football team has lead an amazing win streak. People praise the QB, but all he has is praise for the girls that cheer them on.
Initially going into this book, I thought there’d be a witchcraft subplot…maybe the girls make a sacrifice every year to ensure the boys win, but the truth is much more sinister and much much much worse.
THANK YOU to PenguinTeen for my ARC!
————
Please see http://sltrbooks.home.blog/2022/08/05... for my full review
For years, Seton Prep’s football team has lead an amazing win streak. People praise the QB, but all he has is praise for the girls that cheer them on.
Initially going into this book, I thought there’d be a witchcraft subplot…maybe the girls make a sacrifice every year to ensure the boys win, but the truth is much more sinister and much much much worse.
THANK YOU to PenguinTeen for my ARC!
————
Please see http://sltrbooks.home.blog/2022/08/05... for my full review
August 4, 2022
4.5
Trigger Warnings: physical assault, sexual assault, drinking, drug use, bullying, harassment
Such a fantastic read! Compelling characters with chemistry, twisty and layered mystery plot, thoughtful use of multiple POVs and flashbacks, difficult themes are well-handled.
--
Thank you Dutton Books / Penguin Random House for the ARC.
Trigger Warnings: physical assault, sexual assault, drinking, drug use, bullying, harassment
Such a fantastic read! Compelling characters with chemistry, twisty and layered mystery plot, thoughtful use of multiple POVs and flashbacks, difficult themes are well-handled.
--
Thank you Dutton Books / Penguin Random House for the ARC.
April 12, 2022
I enjoyed this one. The drives! The drives!
Alz is the GOAT
The truths that were uncovered….whew!
Alz is the GOAT
The truths that were uncovered….whew!
May 27, 2022
I literally just finished this book and RAN to write a review. This breathtaking debut has left me feeling empowered on a whole new level and SETON GIRLS is not only one of my new favorite books, but Charlene Thomas is one of my new favorite authors!!!
Thomas keeps you on your toes wondering and guessing what's gonna happen next with every turn of the page and whenever I thought for sure I knew what would happen next, I was completely caught off-guard. I sometimes shy away from books with alternating timelines, but the way that the author, ties this story together is magical. Tiny details that may have seemed insignificant end up playing huge roles in the conclusion of this story.
And I haven't even gotten to these characters that either feel like people I already know or people I DESPERATELY want to know!!!! Aly, being Seton's newspaper editor and girlfriend to J, next school year's QB, gives them status and an inside to the Seton world that they're so constantly reminded they're lucky to be a part of. Aly was the *perfect* MC! She was empathetic, intelligent, and determined and with the help of the INCREDIBLE character Brit, Aly was able to discover new strengths in herself that she may not have known existed beforehand.
While this book is very much an ode to strategically tearing down the patriarchy brick by brick, it was also a heart-mending novel of sisterhood/girlhood, emerging confidence and standing rigidly tall when those with the most power tell you it's time to cower and fall to your knees.
I'm SO grateful to Charlene for being given the opportunity to read SETON GIRLS before its August release and can. not. wait. until this book is in the hands of readers worldwide. Especially the teens who need it!
p.s. If you loved Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, then Seton Girls is for sure the book for you!!
Thomas keeps you on your toes wondering and guessing what's gonna happen next with every turn of the page and whenever I thought for sure I knew what would happen next, I was completely caught off-guard. I sometimes shy away from books with alternating timelines, but the way that the author, ties this story together is magical. Tiny details that may have seemed insignificant end up playing huge roles in the conclusion of this story.
And I haven't even gotten to these characters that either feel like people I already know or people I DESPERATELY want to know!!!! Aly, being Seton's newspaper editor and girlfriend to J, next school year's QB, gives them status and an inside to the Seton world that they're so constantly reminded they're lucky to be a part of. Aly was the *perfect* MC! She was empathetic, intelligent, and determined and with the help of the INCREDIBLE character Brit, Aly was able to discover new strengths in herself that she may not have known existed beforehand.
While this book is very much an ode to strategically tearing down the patriarchy brick by brick, it was also a heart-mending novel of sisterhood/girlhood, emerging confidence and standing rigidly tall when those with the most power tell you it's time to cower and fall to your knees.
I'm SO grateful to Charlene for being given the opportunity to read SETON GIRLS before its August release and can. not. wait. until this book is in the hands of readers worldwide. Especially the teens who need it!
p.s. If you loved Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, then Seton Girls is for sure the book for you!!
September 2, 2024
TWs: physical assault, sexual assault, underage drinking and drug use, bullying, harassment. If you are at all bothered by sexual assault/harassment, do not read this book.
That being said, this book is absolutely amazing. I usually don't go for books like this one, and I fully thought that I would DNF, but this book was written so well with a gripping mystery that I just couldn't stop.
The blurb for this story is a little misleading. While the book does center around Seton's football team, the main character is Aly, the editor-in-chief for the Seton newspaper and girlfriend to next year's Varsity quarterback, J. She gets drawn into the main plot through Britt, who is a member of the four-girl clique that dominates the school after Britt has a falling out with said clique. As the story goes on we learn about why Britt left the clique, and exactly how Seton has kept their undefeated streak.
The execution of this story is unlike anything I've ever read before. There are two "narrations" in this book: one is a first-person narration from Aly, and the other is a third-person narration from various characters in the past. The reader learns information at a different pace than Aly, and it's amazing when all the information finally clicks into place and we know exactly what's going on, but Aly still doesn't. Chekhov's gun is loaded and ready, and the author wields it expertly throughout this book.
I really can't say anything else without spoiling, but I really really encourage reading this book if you like mysteries. I came in expecting nothing and I received *everything*.
That being said, this book is absolutely amazing. I usually don't go for books like this one, and I fully thought that I would DNF, but this book was written so well with a gripping mystery that I just couldn't stop.
The blurb for this story is a little misleading. While the book does center around Seton's football team, the main character is Aly, the editor-in-chief for the Seton newspaper and girlfriend to next year's Varsity quarterback, J. She gets drawn into the main plot through Britt, who is a member of the four-girl clique that dominates the school after Britt has a falling out with said clique. As the story goes on we learn about why Britt left the clique, and exactly how Seton has kept their undefeated streak.
The execution of this story is unlike anything I've ever read before. There are two "narrations" in this book: one is a first-person narration from Aly, and the other is a third-person narration from various characters in the past. The reader learns information at a different pace than Aly, and it's amazing when all the information finally clicks into place and we know exactly what's going on, but Aly still doesn't. Chekhov's gun is loaded and ready, and the author wields it expertly throughout this book.
I really can't say anything else without spoiling, but I really really encourage reading this book if you like mysteries. I came in expecting nothing and I received *everything*.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews