The Girls VS Beware That Girl

It feels so good to be reading again. I don't know about you, but I'll go through stints where I am a total book worm, then I'll go through phases where I'll leave one untouched for months. We have ourselves a battle of the "girls" right here. My latest reads were the "The Girls" by Emma Cline, then immediately after that I jumped into "Beware that Girl" by Theresa Toten. Both stories are thrillers centered around a group of girls, but in totally different time frames and cities. Since they have both been hot topics in the literary world as of late, I figured it would be fun to break down each book and let you decide which one sparks your interest more. One definitely did for me!

The Girls-- If you liked The Virgin Suicides you'll be quick to jump to read this one. Let me set the stage for you: Northern California, summertime, the 60's. The book follows, Evie, a young girl who is coming of age and ends up getting mixed up with a cult that lives hidden in the hills on a ranch. Evie comes across this group of girls and is completely enamored, and from there the story gets a little crazy. A little bit of drugs, a little bit of seduction and a little bit of violence. It's definitely a thriller, but I found it quite slow to really take off. I was constantly putting it down at first and trying to force myself to get through the first bit. However, it's no doubt that Emma is a great writer, she is very poetic. The book is dark, a little melancholy and it sure has a thrilling end!

Beware That Girl-- Think Gossip Girl meets Gone Girl. Theresa Toten was able to capture my interests a bit more in this one. The story takes place in current time on the Upper East Side, so immediately I was ready to dive in. To put it simple-- we have Kate, a girl with many secrets, looking to do whatever it takes to get into Yale. Whether that means getting close to "the haves" of the school, or working at a Chinese Market 7 days a week, she'll do it. I love that Kate is super smart and that her past unfolds as you get into the story. Things take a wicked turn when a certain someone comes into the picture. The story gets twisted pretty fast and the suspense will have you flipping the pages.

Overall? I found Beware That Girl to be more enthralling, thrilling and enjoyable. Must be my affliction to that NYC beat! It's definitely a lighter read, but I found it to be more suspenseful and fast-paced. Let me know if you'll read either book, or if you have already. Or if you hate that I just posted a book review on here! - lol