Some Girls Are

"The familiar plot of a girl facing social exile after a near-rape at a party takes on a brutal twist. Popular Regina is ostracized by her clique after her best friend's boyfriend attacks her; Anna, the best friend, would rather believe that Regina led him on. The one truly enjoying Regina's fall from popularity is Kara, a member of Regina's circle who never quite fit in. Kara and Anna's attacks escalate, and Regina fights back with physical violence. Regina's suffering at her former friends' hands makes her regret the peer abuse she's committed at Anna's behest, but those she's harmed in the past aren't so willing to forgive her. Her one source of support is Michael, a fellow outcast whose life she and Anna made miserable. Summers is meticulous in her descriptions of vengeful acts. These mean girls can and do extend their fight to proportions that will make readers cringe. Blackmail, fighting and retaliation all come center stage, and Regina sees that despite her best efforts, a truly mean girl is not easily knocked down. Powerful and compelling."—Kirkus Reviews

"This story takes an unflinching look at the intricacies of high school relationships and how easily someone's existence can change. Fans of the film Mean Girls will enjoy this tale of redemption and forgiveness."—Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, Virginia, School Library Journal

"Backstabbing, rumor mills, and freeze-outs by the in crowd are familiar territory, but Summers takes these traumatic experiences to a new level of nasty. Regina Afton, once a member of the elite Fearsome Fivesome, is dumped after word gets out that she slept with her queen bee best friend's boyfriend at a party. What no one knows—or doesn't believe—is that it wasn't consensual: Regina was nearly raped. In a series of pranks that go beyond the usual cold stares (the word 'whore' painted on her locker, books thrown in the pool, a vicious 'IH8RA' Web page, a four-on-one beating), her ex-friends exact a revenge meant to inflict permanent damage. Regina's only salvation is her nascent friendship with a loner she bullied back in her heyday, but even his forgiveness is hard won. Parents and teachers are suspiciously absent (and oblivious to Regina's suffering), but it's Regina's lack of recourse that makes this very real story all the more frightening and effective. Regina's every emotion is palpable, and it's impossible not to feel every punch—physical or emotional—she takes."—Publishers Weekly