Book Review: Dangerous Girls

Dangerous Girls

By: Abigail Haas

Published by: Simon Pulse

Release date: July 16, 2013

Genre: YA contemporary/mystery

400 pages

Buy it at Amazon, IndieBound or Barnes & Noble

Source: ARC kindly provided by publisher

I thought I was in for a great YA contemporary when I picked Dangerous Girls up. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there is also a great whodunit flavor to it as well.

If you are at all interested in reading this book, be VERY careful to avoid spoilers. A great read will be ruined for you if you know too much about the outcome before you have a chance to discover it for yourself. Beware, reader. . . and know that this review will be as spoiler-free as possible.

Our narrator, Anna, takes us along on her journey as she goes from being a new-girl nobody, to basking in the attention of an ultimate BFF and a gorgeous boyfriend, to dealing with the life-changing death of that BFF. . . and what/who might have caused it. Anna takes us through the evolution of her relationships with both the BFF, Elise, and the boyfriend, Tate. She shows us how difficult her own family life is, due to her mother's rapidly deteriorating health. She shows us how ruthless high school girls can be to each other, and how the kindness of a few can make all the difference to one. This narrator is expertly crafted, and ultimately believable. Reading her felt like listening to a real teen telling her story, which baited me to keep turning the pages.

Be advised that some content makes this novel most suitable for older teens. In addition to some foul language, there is frank discussion of the group's partying, which include alcohol and drug use as well as promiscuity. As the title warns, these girls are no angels.

The story is told partially through flashbacks, as though the narrator is recalling events that lead up to her present situation. I've read books told in this style that were confusing and difficult to follow; not so with Dangerous Girls. As the scene switched from present to past, then back to present, I was able to follow perfectly, having been filled in on what previous events were feeding the narrator's current state of mind. The flashbacks also provided some relief from the high level of tension, creating an ebb and flow in the anxiety produced by this thriller.

With its tropical setting and array of suspects, this is a perfect beach read. Get it pre-ordered so you'll have it in time for your summer getaway.

Summary from Goodreads:

Paradise quickly gets gruesome in this thrilling page-turner with a plot that’s ripped from the headlines and a twist that defies the imagination.

It’s Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives.

But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend’s killer, she discovers harsh revelations about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love.

Awaiting the judge’s decree, it becomes clear to Anna that everyone around her thinks she is not only guilty, but also dangerous. And when the whole story comes out, reality is more shocking than anyone ever imagined...