BOOKS

Welcome back to our Bestie Book Club—
a community for book lovers from Girls' Life magazine. 

If you're new here, hello and welcome, book lovers! Here's how this works: Each month we read, discuss and obsess over a new book. If you haven't signed up already, be sure to follow us on Instagram where you'll be able to find Bestie Book Club updates, special contests and giveaways, event invitations and more. 

Here's a quick list of everything you'll find inside this post (and beyond)....

TBH, No One Can EVER Know: THE BOOK CLUB AT-A-GLANCE
+ Buy the Book
+ The Quick-Read Recap
+ Bestie Book Club Commentary
+ Details on how to participate

The *perfect* literary additions to your girl squad? Cecily, Gabrielle, Prianka and Victoria from the TBH series by Lisa Greenwald.

This fearless foursome is serious friendship goals—they support each other through all the triumphs and troubles of middle school, figuring out who they are (and what they stand for) in the process. Through it all, their bond never wavers (and when it does, they always come together and talk it out). 

TBH, No One Can EVER Know is the newest book in the series and it's sooo good on its own...or as a continuation of the first six reads. If you can't get enough of BFF inside jokes, heartwarming friend + fam moments and, ofc, revealing texts (the book is written entirely in texts, DMs, phone notes and handwritten journal entries) then buy the book right HERE.

Plus, GIVEAWAY ALERT! This page-turner is too good not to share, so we're giving away a copy of TBH, No One Can EVER Know. Enter to win HERE then keep reading for *all* the deets...

The book opens with a snow day (yay!) and we're already feeling oh-so nostalgic for life before virtual school. Cecily, Gabrielle, Prianka and Victoria's bestie group are sooo excited go sledding. But a mishap leads Victoria's mom to storm the squad...

That's when the girls realize that Victoria is struggling—Vic is trying to  find her independence (including organizing an *amaze* winter dance) but her mom's overprotectiveness is, tbh, kind of holding her back.

Through a secret notebook and lots of behind-the-scenes planning, the girls put together a master plan to bring Vic and her mom together...and make sure they can have the best night ever at the dance. 

You're not going to want to miss Victoria's majorly embarrassing secret reveal (it's the reason why her mom is so worried), plus Cecily's idea to stop bullying, Gabrielle's push to discover her passion and Prianka's so-sweet new romance. What are you waiting for? Read the book now...

We caught up with our own fun 'n' fabulous girl squad—Alyssa, Aria, Ellarose, Kira, and Lexi—to learn about why TBH, No One Can EVER Know is their next must-read.

Alyssa @alyssacheatham

True friend: "A good friend is someone you trust, who treats you with kindness and respect and is there to support you through good times and bad. One time, my BFF wanted to try out for the school play but she was feeling shy. I helped her build her confidence and practice for the audition. She got the part—and it was a lot of fun helping her!" 
Bestie vibes: "The TBH character I love most is Ivy. She's super caring and always checks up on Gabrielle, even though they don't go to the same school. She reminds me of me and my friends." 
Growing up: "I've been bullied because of my big, curly hair. I think we should teach kids, especially in middle school, that everyone is different and to accept others for who they are. Maybe we could even have classes to raise awareness about bullying." 

Aria @itsariabrooks

Twinning moment: "I *so* relate to Prianka's character. She's a creative person and a writer, just like me. She uses writing as an outlet to express her emotions and how she's feeling, just like I do when I write music and lyrics." 
Friendship inspo: "The notebook the girls started together is such a great idea! There are so many moments when I want to tell someone something but don't want to say it out loud—having that notebook with my besties would totally come in handy." 
Bestie checklist: "When it comes to a best friend, I like kind people. I look for a good sense of humor. I love to hype up my friends about how smart, nice and beautiful they are. We FaceTime once a week and update each other about everything going on in our lives." 

Ellarose @ellarosekaylor

Page-turner: "This book was so fun and easy to read! It's written all in text messages which makes it a total page-turner. It's really relatable—the girls' texts remind me of me and my friends." 
Best BFF: "One character I love is Gabrielle. She cares so much about her crew, always helps others and has a passion for animals. I'd definitely want Gabrielle to join my girl squad." 
Spread kindness: "TBH, No One Can EVER Know reminded me of the importance of spreading kindness and using your social media to spread a positive message. We are all here to love and support each other, so let's do it."

Kira @cali.kira

Best friend goals: "Victoria and I have a lot in common. She tries to be friends with everyone, just like me. At times, my mom and I do fight like Vic does with her mom in the book. But we always try to talk about it afterwards and figure out a compromise." 
Emoji queen: "I really love how this book is written with text messages and emojis. It's exactly like how I talk to my friends." 
Hilarious scene: "It was so funny how Gabrielle's mom kept messaging her over and over again to walk her neighbor's dog. That's totally something my mom would do!" 

Lexi H. @lexisoleil08

BFF definition: "I look for friends who are nice to others and who share some of my interests—dance, watching movies and shopping." 
Fave character: "Definitely Victoria. She's growing up and starting to make her own decisions and becoming more independent. As a 12 year old, I can really connect to that." 
IRL connection: "Like Victoria, I have my own opinions which can lead to some arguments with my parents, too! Thankfully, like in the book, my mom and I are able to come together after those disagreements to open up and understand each other better."  

Wondering *exactly* how the Bestie Book Club works and what it means to be a member? There are so many ways you can get involved—whether it's solo, on social media or with your whole squad. Here's a quick list...
+ SOLO. Take your personal reading game to the next level using TBH, No One Can EVER Know's themes of friendship, family and social media as a guide for your own journaling and personal reflection. If you love to read, it could be fun to start a special book diary where you keep track of all your favorite novels—and the personal musings they inspired.
+ ON SOCIAL MEDIA. Share your thoughts on TBH, No One Can EVER Know using the hashtag #glbestiebookclub on Twitter and Instagram. (Just remember: You have to have a public account for us to be able to see and respond to your posts!)
+ WITH YOUR SQUAD. Host a virtual book club party (or an IRL one with your fam). Be sure to tag us @glbestiebookclub in your snaps or screenshots so we can share them!

by Katherine Hammer | 2/4/2021