Dangerous Girls

Elise is brutally murdered, and all fingers are pointing to Anna. As Anna lives through her stay in prison and the trial, we slowly get to see the wild, "dangerous" life of these girls and how quickly "friends" abandon you when times get tough. There are two things in life I love: reading and coffee. (OK, I love my family and friends too, but they aren't "things".) And the Kindle (given to me by the Most Amazing Sister EVAH) has been the best thing for reading AND my pocket book (and when we are good to the pocket book, we get the next best thing to more books: MORE COFFEE!). I saw "Dangerous Girls" as one of the Daily Deals and based on a friend's review snapped it up and put it on the Kindle for my next airplane trip. I love, and I hate this book at the same time. I love that this book made me read it in two sittings and left me staring blankly at the seat in front of me, making me question life and everything I knew. I love that I wanted to strangle characters in the book, so real did they feel. I love that I couldn't bear to put this book down. But then I HATE THAT ENDING GORRAMMIT. After all that nail-biting suspense, all those dips and twists in the story, and then we find out THAT?! But I get ahead of myself. Abigail Haas, you can write. You can write, you can create realistic teenaged characters, you can create the most thrilling suspense all the while never having the characters do anything more exciting than sit down. Really, woman, I am in envy of your craft. Before this book, I was ready to throw in the towel entirely on the Young Adult genre, especially after tepid (IMO) books like Antigoddess and Arclight. If Young Adult is going to be merely Girl + Boy A + Boy B + (Genre of the Most Popular YA Book of the Moment), then I don't care, I'm checking out. I don't read books to read the same story, the same characters over and over and over again. I want something different or unique, even if it's just a really, REALLY well-written form of something old. "Dangerous Girls" stands out. It's raw and gritty (I definitely wouldn't recommend for teens younger than 16, what with the sex, drugs, and alcohol use), but it's clever and REAL. The characters are stunning; Anna isn't a Mary Sue, with zero self-esteem, unable to realize how beautiful she is, and thinking every other female is an enemy (though she does do a bit of slut-shaming to the bully girls). She's a hurting girl, suffering when her mother has cancer, able to build friendships with other females *GASP*, and not afraid to embrace her sexuality *GASP*. Tate isn't a set of good-looking abs; he's a coward, a perfectionist, a flawed miserable human-being who abandons his girlfriend just to save face. Elise isn't the Manic Pixie Dream Girl; she has no qualms about using men to get what she wants (and not caring about their feelings), doesn't appreciate her mother, and is insanely jealous - but she's also the dearest, sweetest friend Anna could ever have. She stands up with Anna in the face of bullies and leaves her elite status behind to be with Anna. The whole book is a character study, not just of Anna, but of every other person she knows. Her boyfriend, Tate. Elise. The other friends in their circle. Her lawyers. Her father. The media. It's an intense look at how awful people can be. I've been calling it in many ways the "Gone Girl" for Young Adults, because that's what I think of when I read this. These aren't perfect characters; they are realistic, and every one of them is hiding something. Every one of them has messed up and is being selfish and horrible to their fellow human beings. With so much praise, why do I say I hate this? Well, that pertains to the ending and for that is a HUGE spoiler - a "Sixth Sense" scale spoiler. Let's just suffice to say that I didn't see it coming and felt it came out of left field and contradicted what Haas had earlier established. Of course, my opinion is just that: My opinion. I'd love to talk more about the ending, so feel free to comment. (Just be careful with spoilers!) But even with my feelings about the ending, I can't deny this is a marvelous book. A book that makes me devour it in two sittings, that leaves me with Book Hangover is DEFINITELY a 5 star in my book, even if the ending is "HUH?" I heartily recommend a read and will be checking out more of Haas' works in the future. Brought to you by: *C.S. Light*

This book is a good thriller and intelligently written. The narrative is not chronological, and it is not all told from Anna's perspective: details about the past are revealed at critical moments in the trial, and it all blends seamlessly with added perspectives, like trial transcripts, news reel transcripts, poems, text messages, and Anna's internal dialogue. Reading the book is like piecing together a crime--you don't know who the killer is until the very end, but the killer isn't hiding either. You can figure it out. I would recommend this book as a good older YA murder mystery / thriller. I do have a caution for younger readers: there is explicit drug use, alcohol, sex, and language. It isn't terrible, but if that is an issue for you, be warned. Otherwise, enjoy the book :) On an additional note: I stumbled upon this book when I was looking for an intense, older YA murder mystery. If you like this book and are looking for something similar, I also recommend "All Unquiet Things" by Anna Jarzab.

Lured by wild nights of debauchery and a trip of a lifetime, Anna sets off to Aruba with her best friend Elise and boyfriend Tate for the final Spring Break of their senior year. When they arrive, the booze is flowing and the antics are high as Anna’s group of friends party full-tilt. But when they wake up in the morning to find Elise brutally murdered, all of a sudden Anna is trapped in a foreign country fighting vile accusations. As clues emerge and the history behind Anna and Elise’s friendship is revealed, questions surrounding Anna’s innocence are put at the forefront in a media frenzy that results in a shocking conclusion. This book is edgy, contemporary Young Adult at its very best. It’s definitely aimed at a more mature YA reader, with many scenes depicting some pretty heavy partying and some sexual scenarios that might not be suitable for a younger reader. That being said- it’s intriguing from the first page to the last, and man- I didn’t really see that ending coming. I had all sorts of theories as I read about the culpability of the players involved, but I wasn’t expecting that ending at all. It was a great, dark twist that left me thinking long after I turned the last page. This book does an excellent job of really digging into the nitty gritty of the dark side of female friendship. Elise and Anna have a very complicated relationship that might even border on some sort of obsession, and the flashback chapters peppered throughout the book do an excellent job of setting up a crime of passion that can only occur with a complicated female relationship. There’s plenty of jealousy and fuel for the fire that lead to the ultimate questioning of Anna’s innocence. This was a wild ride, from the opening scenes tat depict these friends partying to the final mind-blowing payoff. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a gritty contemporary YA.

A solidly written story with all the hallmarks of a salacious true crime narrative. Haas deftly employs all the tools of a contemporary psychological thriller--non-linear plot, "found footage," transcripts of police interviews and cable crime shows, etc. I was wary of the first person narrator, but it works better than expected. This is a fast beach or airplane read with some vaguely interesting, though hardly profound, insights into female friendship and late adolescence.

I couldn't help but keep thinking about Amanda Knox while reading this. I assume that trial was the inspiration for Dangerous Girls. What's interesting about this story, and that real life one, is that from the evidence and trial alone, it's impossible to tell what really happened. Just a bunch of circumstance and coincidence to draw your own conclusion from. However, I did begin to suspect Anna about 3/4 of the way through. It seemed it was going to turn out like a reverse Gone Girl, where instead of seeming guilty from that person's perspective and being innocent (well, innocent of murder at least, not of being a despicable human being, in the case of Gone Girl), she lead us to believe she was innocent and would turn out to be guilty. I also had suspicions about Mel, and her inability to face reality and let go. Either could have snapped and done it, in my humble opinion. Haas was great at throwing around a red herring to make you question things. I also found it especially entertaining that Clara Rose was so obviously supposed to be Nancy Grace. Oh Nancy, you devious little she-devil you. I'm absolutely enthralled by her as a person, as well as her show. It's an art really! I've watched her coverage of both the Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony trials, and she can't help but suck you in, like being hypnotized. Then at some point you shake off the fog of acceptance you have for everything she says and realize, holy s***, this program is so biased and twisted, I don't know how they even call it journalism! She is a bewitching snake-charmer that could easily sell snow to an Eskimo. Sorry to go on a Nancy Grace tangent, I could do that for days! Anyway, I highly recommend Dangerous Girls to anyone who likes murder mystery or suspenseful reads. It's like a Gillian Flynn novel for YA.

This book is absolutely amazing. Without spoiling anything (which is really hard by the way), I'll say now that the way the setting and characters were presented was flawless. At times, as cliché as it is to say, I felt like I was in the room with them. You can feel the atmosphere biting at you, smell your surroundings, see each persons face. This book has a lot of time jumps, sometimes making it hard to keep up because one moment you'll be in the present, then the next you'll be in the past. Despite that it was sometimes hard to tell at what time things were taking place, this works really well for the presentation of the book. We'll learn of an event that took place in the past from Anna's point of view, before ending up in the courtroom, the details we just learned presumably having been laid out and established while the prosecution and defense fight with words; all the while Anna is riding an emotional roller-coaster. Sometimes she'll be introspective, at others she'll panic, and sometimes she is completely calm, but in ways that make sense. Now onto the more spoilery bits. Don't read these if you want to be surprised, however I think these parts are what make the book truly shine. Anna's mental state is absolutely fascinating. Her ability to lie and deceive is something she takes full advantage of, and her complete apathy regarding certain things and fabricated emotions when it comes to others is really interesting to read about. The best part though, is the reader is just as oblivious and clueless as everyone else trying desperately to find out the truth. This story perfectly executes the concept of an unreliable narrator. Anna hardly ever tells the full truth, most of the time using half truths or blatant lies to fabricate her story, not only to everyone she knows, not only to a courtroom full of people and a judge prepared to lock her away for years, but to the reader too. There are subtle hints of course, if you look closely, but the reader is left to figure it out for themselves. But beyond Anna's character, the story is great as well. With something as complicated as this situation it's hard to say what this book is truly about, but one thing stands out especially. Anna and Elise's relationship. It's quite obvious there is some sexual tension between the two. While this is never explicitly stated it is implied, and can be further reinforced by one specific scene I'll talk about in a second. Anna and Elise's relationship, even in the best and most stable of times, is very turbulent. They disagree and fight often, and beyond that, hurt each other in ways you really shouldn't. Though at the same time, each of them are sometimes the only thing holding the other together. Their relationship is full of toxicity and jealousy as much as it is dependence and care. In one scene, just after Anna's mom dies, Anna begs Elise to tell her that it won't hurt this way forever, and to never leave her. Elise kisses her, says that it won't always hurt this way, and that she'll always be by Anna, holding her hand. This is a lie, however I don't think it was at the time. Relationships between characters are complicated, and it's hard to tell who's feeling what. However, I think that Elise loved Anna as more than a friend. Anna might have been conflicted, maybe not, but ultimately didn't feel the same. She loved her boyfriend, Tate. That's an entire other can of worms, and why exactly she loves him is unclear, but I think she was aware of how Elise felt and took advantage of Elise's willingness to comfort her to do exactly that, likely giving Elise hope, before Anna pretends it never happened and things go back to "normal". Obviously Elise is hurt, being used and discarded in this way. Maybe she wants to get back at Anna and hurt her, maybe she wants to know what Anna likes so much about him and what it would be like to be her, maybe she honestly developed feelings for him, or maybe a mixture of all, but Elise ends up betraying Anna and having an affair with Tate. That promise to always be by her side, supporting her and holding her hand, telling her that things wouldn't hurt like this again, was broken when she went behind Anna's back. During their trip, Anna finds out. We're never told exactly what happened the day of the murder, never shown a scene of Anna making up her mind or doing the deed. But we do see the aftermath. We do see Anna's lies. And we do see her declared innocent, despite the evidence against her. It's very clear what type of person Anna is just from reading the last few paragraphs. She seems to have truly cared about Elise, at least in some way, and maybe even loved her back. She seems to mourn Elise's death, but not regret what she did. In the game of friendship, false promises, and deception, Anna comes out on top and, sitting at Elise's grave, pronounces her victory. "I win." I highly encourage anyone seeing this to read it. I had a great time myself and I honestly can't give a name to the feelings I felt throughout this read. Wonderfully done, author. :)

“After everything, I know how important a single shot can be, the story that can replace facts and hard evidence with just a singe, perfect frame.” Dangerous Girls is the type of book that will stay in your mind for hours, if not days after reading it. There were times when I had to put it down, needing a break that will only last me minutes because I just had to know what happened next. This book frustrated and angered me, at first because of the injustice that’s being done to Anna just because she was the perfect scapegoat; a girl that doesn’t really have the powerful family connections or financial backing like everyone else within that group. Then it hit me: no one in this group is completely innocent, not even the victim. Each one of these characters made stupid, hateful and selfish decisions without caring if they’re stepping on someone else or ruining other people’s lives. A part of me even think that the only way this could’ve been prevented is if Anna and Elise did not become friends in the first place. “Do you love me?” “You know I do.” “How much?” “Miles and miles.” The beginning of their friendship was innocent enough, something that I even rooted for despite knowing what’s going to happen in the future. Both girls were trapped in situations where they couldn’t be themselves. They pulled each other out of their cocoon…Anna out of her solidarity and Elise from becoming a mere follower. She may be in the “right” group but she was fated to never become the leader. At the same time it became apparent that as much as they brought out the best of each other, the worst came along with it. They broke free of high school cliques and politics but they pulled each other down to a path much darker. Although they blossomed together and eventually they found a group that they can be themselves in, they also went down a path of self-destruction, the term “sex, drugs and rock n’ roll” fit very much in what these high school students were partaking. High school! This is what’s so upsetting about this book. They are all just kids yet it’s like their innocence have been obliterated by their own doing. “One moment. One picture. One glimpse–that’s all it takes to make someone think they know the truth.” Because this book was mostly told through Anna’s POV, it was only natural that I sympathized with her plight of proving her innocence with only a handful of supporters by her side. From the start she was clearly the underdog, a victim of a corrupt and vindictive prosecutor’s witch hunt. Prosecutor Dekker’s character made me so angry I actually wished that there was a picture or sketch of him that I can print off and doodle big black horns in. Add that to the fact that she’s trapped in a country with a justice system none of the characters were familiar with. Soon, they were all just out to save their own hides, leaving poor Anna to fight hopelessly for her freedom. But then, you also see moments of her where you wonder, if in enough rage, perhaps Anna can be capable of murdering another person…even if it’s her best friend. Even through her POVs we see her act unnatural, the book’s timeline is non-linear so we see alternating glimpses of the past and present so you gradually find out exactly how deep the two girl’s relationship are. Though it seem so at the beginning, they are more than best friends who hang out for the sole purpose of fun and partying. Looking back I thought about the part where Anna acted so calm and composed after finding out about Elise’s murder, wherein after knowing how much she relies on their relationship she should’ve acted with more passion, or even quiet depression. After finding out how almost unhealthy their relationship were with their closeness I looked back and thought, this was her Elise who was murdered, why is she making jokes, demanding food and thinking about how much she needs sleep? “Wouldn’t we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?” But then again, I still couldn’t stop feeling sorry for Anna because so many people screwed her over. She was portrayed by the media as the bad influence, the sexual deviant that lured Elise and her upperclass friends to a world of underage drinking, drugs and partying. She was accused by former friends and classmates that she isolated popular Elise from everybody else when they in fact isolated themselves. Everyone in their group is equally a bad influence on each other and it was really frustrating how she’s taking all the blame. And even when she tried to defend her side of the story, her behavior was over analyzed and sensationalized to cast doubt on her sincerity. It seem hopeless…again the perfect scapegoat…because she is not as rich, not as connected, not as powerful. If I can describe this book in one sentence I would say that this book messed me up. It got me so angry on Anna’s behalf but at the same time I also questioned her innocence. I hated the characters, including Anna at times, for their selfishness and disregard for other people. I was horrified on how far a person will go just to win. This was not an easy book to read but I could not stop reading, it hooked me from beginning to end. And speaking of the end…man. That’s all I can say. Dangerous Girls was depressing, it made me question the good in humanity. It was brilliant. I hated this book. But I loved it. It made me so angry I wanted to just stop reading it. But I couldn’t stop. Again, this messed me up. And I highly recommend it.

Anna is the new girl in school junior year. Elise, wanting a break from her ‘in’ crowd, befriends Anna. So begins their dive into partying, drinking, being a twosome. Two friends consumed by another. Until Anna starts dating Tate. The novel starts with Anna, Tate, Elise, and their group of friends off in Aruba. I honestly had to keep reminding myself they were still only seniors in high school. The reader is introduced to them in the club dancing and drinking, feeling invincible. Then Elise turns up dead. The story tells what happens after the death of Elise. Who killed this ‘perfect’ girl? With 13 stab wounds officials believe it must be personal. The story is told from Anna’s POV and through phone and interview transcripts. There are flash backs. This allow the reader to see Elise’s character through Anna’s eyes. We see the suspects and the suspicious behavior. The novel does end with the truth. You will know what happened to Elise! The decision isn’t left up to the reader to decide the guilty or innocent party. Honestly I am satisfied with the ending. The BIG twist, wasn’t a twist for me unfortunately. I figured out what was transpiring within the first chapter. Maybe because I figured it out or because of how the author wrote Elise, I didn’t care she was murdered. Did she deserve to die, no. But, I didn’t feel any remorse or sympathy for the person she was.

Clever work. I was livid, shocked. Appalled. this book manipulated me! So many twists and turns I was dizzy! In a good way. That's what good writers do. Love your work Abigail! Anna is wrongfully accused of her best friends murder on their group vacation. With a ruthless prosecutor on Anna's tail, her life is ripped apart turning her image into a monster in the eyes of the media and the public. Even her friends don't believe her. So begins her fight for freedom in a foreign country. What looms around the corner, put me into shock. As mentioned in title. It's missing one star due to more information required on a certain topic that needed a bit more fuel but I have to get vague not to spoil it. This is one of the best books I've read.

I read this book a few months ago and I loved it so much that I knew I had to get a physical copy. The delivery was great and the book came in perfect way. Very satisfied with my purchase!

Loved the book, kept me hooked to veryy lastt page.

This novel is really captivating and the mystery aspect is not predictable; the ending is shoking. A pleasant surprise. I recommend it.

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. This book is an interesting one to be sure...having read some mixed reviews I was very intrigued to find out for myself what all the fuss was about. As you know I do love a clever book and this one was - on the surface, a simple story of vapid teenagers with more money than sense, partying hard until tragedy strikes and throws them all into turmoil..but underneath the glossy surface is a multi layered tale of love, betrayal and murder with a psychological twist. Told from Anna's point of view, covering the events leading up to the death of her best friend Elise and the aftermath, the story unfolding is compelling and addictive - not least because of the characters themselves. Abigail Haas has given them all a psychological depth not often found in teen fiction and has woven a cautionary tale into the narrative about the intensity and hidden facets of the relationships we form and the obsessive nature of such things. Throw into the mix drugs, drink and secrets and its not surprising really that things go horribly wrong. Inspiration has very obviously been taken from real life events, several of them, and this works very well because you kind of think you know the story - it lifts the reading experience into an almost "documentary" style feel, as if this is, in fact, a true tale. As Anna fights to prove her innocence in the face of almost impossible odds you will be clinging on by the fingernails with her - as she says " Wouldn't we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?" Well yes, we would. The most mundane actions can seem sinister when looked at from a place of suspicion, another thing that the author has managed to convey superbly. Along with a one track mindset from the police and the media turning the crime into a movie for the masses its a wonder that any justice system ever works...what Abigail Haas has done is made me wonder how many guilty, OR innocent for that matter, verdicts we hear about in the real world headlines are actually indicative of what actually happened. So yes, this is a mystery story aimed at the YA audience, with some very adult themes at its heart and is superbly written and laid out. The solution is right there in front of you folks, whether you see it coming or not, the experience of getting there will be worth it. Happy Reading Folks!