New year, new books: 15 YA releases to watch out for this January

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

Readers  looking to amp up the suspense this month should give Tess Sharpe’s The Girls I’ve Been a try. Hitting shelves on January 26, this twisty thriller follows Nora O’Malley, the daughter of a longtime con artist. And although Nora has been “playing normal” for the past five years, she’s not such a bad con artist herself. After all, she escaped life with her mother after she fell for one of her marks.

And Nora will need to put her conning skills to use again after she finds herself in a delightfully tricky situation in this story.

The Girls I’ve Been begins with Nora’s ex, Wes, walking in on her and her girlfriend, Iris. This is an awkward situation by most teenage standards, but it’s made worse by the fact that the three need to go deposit fundraiser money at the bank together.

The real kicker? While they’re there, the bank gets robbed. And as awkward turns to dangerous, Nora may have to call upon the girls she’s been in order to keep herself and her friends safe. With the synopsis’ promise that the two robbers “have no idea who they’re really holding hostage,” The Girls I’ve Been is sure to be a wild ride.

In terms of premise, it doesn’t get more interesting than Sharpe’s latest, so those looking for a bit of excitement should make note of this one.