Bookshipper

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• Title: Innercity Girl Like Me
• Author: Sabrina Bernardo
• Release Date: In stores now
• Genre: YA novel
• Rating: 4 stars (GREAT BUY)

Innercity Girl Like Me is a honest, realistic and unflinching look at the world of gangs, in an innercity where only the smart will survive.

Author Sabrina Bernardo speaks through the voice of G Child, a young innercity girl who has lived through more horrors at the age of 12 than many people will ever live through. She quickly hooks up with Gina who is portrayed, in great part as the leader of this 'female gang'.

Bernardo depicts a world of violence, drugs, free sex which is made all the more scary because it is entirely all too real. Through all of it, these gang members, rely on each other, betray each other and turn on each other.

None of the characters are particularly likeable, however, hidden behind the tough gang image, you can almost feel G Child's slow, but steady need for something better in her life and armed with this thought, she will end up making some very tough choices in order to get herself out of the only life she has ever known.

This book is loaded with explicit scenes, some graphic at times - but I felt as though none of it was gratuitous - it added a richness and reality to the storyline.

Yes, this is a very difficult book to read because it tears to shreds our nice, comfy vision of what a teen is supposed to be living, but it is a page turner with a story to tell and is absolutely worth the investment in both time and money.

Run to buy this one.