Published: March 9, 2021

Simon & Schuster

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Laurie Elizabeth Flynn is a former model who lives in London, Ontario, with her husband and three children. She is the author of three young adult novels: Firsts, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults pick, along with Last Girl Lied To and All Eyes on Her, under the name L.E. Flynn.

“Our ability to create waned in our instinct to ruin.”

Amb spent most of her teenage years trying to be what she thought people wanted her to be. She worked hard to mold herself into shapes that never quite fit. Then she meets Sully, the vibrant, carefree IT girl on campus, and decides Sully is the girl she needs in her life. College is supposed to be about finding yourself. Making mistakes and growing as a person. What happens when you end up being talked about for all the wrong reasons?

Holy buckets. This was an intense ride. The buildup moves at a steady climb until it suddenly comes crashing down. I enjoyed how this story was told, the flipping back and forth between past and present. Very clever.

The characters in this book are so identifiable. We have all known a mean girl, or we’ve all been a mean girl. The levels Amb goes to try and fit in with Sully, while sad, probably happens a lot more than anyone realizes.

There is such a creative realism to this novel, and it keeps you hooked from start to finish. I had so many theories as I read, and I was so wrong until the very end. The twist comes so fast and is so shocking, and I find myself still processing what just happened.

It’s no secret that women can be catty, especially towards each other. And the saying, “hell hath no fury as a woman scorned,” absolutely rings true in this novel. The play for truth and revenge is so bananas and so maniacally planned out that it’s like witnessing a Hail Mary of true crime.

This is a twisted puzzle, and when the pieces all come together, you will never believe who is left still standing. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer- but be careful who you trust. Because what starts as “us” can quickly become “you,” and once you’re left out-you, you won’t be coming back.

This was a deviously delicious debut novel from a talented author. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the twisted ending. I did not see it coming. This book will grab your attention and hold it until the last word. Friends don’t make secrets, and the girls are not so nice here. Wowza.

Preorder your copy of The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn on Amazon.