Hello Girls

by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry

• ISBN10: 0062803425
• ISBN13: 9780062803429
• Publish Date: 6 August 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English

Reviews

[Steph L]

A fun story about Best Friends

It to ok me a few months to read this but ok because I was busy and couldn’t read it every day. I loved Winona and Lucile. I was rooting for them as they had their ups and downs of this story. I’m not one to read co authored books, but this one was so fun and so seem less. I don’t want to spoil the book, but I loved the ending chapters a lot.

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 3.5 stars

If you are looking for a YA Thelma and Louise inspired story, look no further. This was a story about two girls, who were let down and abandoned by the people, who were supposed to protect them. They were tired of conforming to the unrealistic standards set for young women, and they needed to break free from their oppressors. Long story short, they stole a car, robbed a store, and were off in search of their new beginning.

The trail these two blazed, and the wreckage left in their wake was unreal, as well as highly entertaining. Though quite dark, the story was filled with whip-smart dialogue, witty observations, and keen reflections on the many social constructs erected to keep women in their place.

Though I wish there would have been more hope infused in this book, I did appreciate the friendship between Winona and Lucille, which was my favorite aspect of this story. These two couldn't have been more different, but they recognized something in each other, and bonded over their shared mental and physical wounds. And, everyone wishes they had a (literal) ride or die friend like these two did.

Their backstories broke me, and left me with an aching heart, but I found great solace in the fact, that they had each other. These two were ride-or-die friends, literally, and I was thrilled they were able to depend on each other as a means to escape their dismal lives.

I also liked seeing both Lucille and Winona take back their power. Lucille never seemed to totally give it up. She maintained some semblance of control at all times, but Winona played the part of the china doll on the shelf in her quest for self preservation. Each mile added between them and Michigan was accompanied by another step by them both to regain control of their lives.

Overall: Perhaps a little too dark for me, I still enjoyed this action packed and entertaining tale of friendship, survival, and crusade for freedom.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight .

Parts of this book were super. Like a road trip! And two young women being completely over the patriarchy! And strong female friendships! But for whatever reason (and I can't fully articulate them which I realize makes me the worst), I just never fully connected to the characters, and by extension, the story. 

Here's the thing: most of the people in this story are pure and total garbage. Not Lucille and Winona, they're just caught in the crosshairs of a lot of bad actors. Winona's dad is the trashiest garbage of them all, abusing his daughter every chance he gets. He's giving meteorologists everywhere a bad name, tbh. And I was glad as anything when Winona ran the hell away from him. And Lucille helping her? Yep, made me love her too. 

Lucille isn't exactly doing great either. Mom's always working, and her brother is a drug dealer who stole all her money. So it's... depressing at best. And most of the people they encounter along the way are also pretty much human dumpsters. Maybe it's the hopelessness of the whole thing that made it hard for me to connect? I am not really sure. 

For what it's worth, the road trip itself is fun, and the plot itself was entertaining enough to make me want to keep reading. I also liked the characters, but more at a surface level, if that makes sense? Regardless, it was all enough to be at least a worthwhile read! 

Bottom Line: While I didn't love it quite as much as I'd hoped, I am always here for strong women taking control of their destinies. And also driving across the country.