Imaginary Girls

Excellent Read

This was a wonderful book. It has a story that will keep you entertained for hours.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Definitely messes with your head

Nove Ren Suma is a wonderful writer. Her words flow effortlessly, and the book definitely takes you on an unexpected journey. The story was definitely intriguing, the characters were well-rounded and at times frustrating because they were so enamored by Ruby, but then again, that's pretty much the whole point. In fact, I found myself totally captivated by Ruby at times and then asking myself, why? The book definitely gets creepy, which I was not expecting, and that was a nice surprise. I'm still very much on the fence on whether or not I liked it as a whole. As I said before, the book is well-written and the story is engaging, I just don't know if I liked the story enough to rave about it. It left me feeling a little indifferent over all. It will definitely stay in your head for a few days. Maybe Ruby is just that powerful.

(This review is based on an advanced copy from NetGalley)

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Not For Me

I always finish a book once I start it, but I have to admit, I was sorely tempted to put this book down and move onto something else more my taste. I'm not sure what it was exactly about this novel that made me dislike it, but I do know that Chloe's unhealthy worship of her older sister bored me. As I read, I felt like all Chloe did was talk about how great her sister, Ruby, was, and since I didn't agree, it sort of struck a nerve. I don't have any sisters, so maybe it's just a personal thing that I can't understand, but I found Chloe somewhat annoying and very naïve, which is not a quality I look for in my heroines. I also didn't think Ruby was a very likable character. While it seems that she is worshipped by all boys, and obviously her little sister Chloe, I didn't see any redeeming qualities in Ruby, and truth be told, I found her quite psychotic and obnoxious.

I also spent some of the novel confused-the paranormal aspects of the novel weren't very well explained, in my opinion, and so I'm not 100% certain what really happened. The story itself was weird, and while I think it had a great premise, it just wasn't my forte, though I do think that Suma is a talented writer. The prose were superb in this novel and I plan to read other books she has written; I just don't think Imaginary Girls was meant for me. One star.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Book Review: Imaginary Girls

In all reality, this book is really hard to describe and review. It's so much more than the description. At the end I was really left with no true idea of my thoughts on the book. I felt like it didn't have an adequate ending. I could get a firm grasp on what really happened.

My biggest issue involved Ruby. I just couldn't wrap my mind around what she really was. She had such a control over the entire town. She could bend people to her will even when what she wanted was completely asinine. She really wasn't very nice either. Her actions really held a violent tone to them. Was she a witch, human with odd powers, or did she sell her soul to the devil himself? I really couldn't tell. And the ending left me with very few answers.

I also got a weird feeling from Chloe and Ruby's relationship. It was more than step-sister/best friends. Chloe often seemed overly devoted to Ruby, although completely blind to her faults. Ruby, on the other hand, seemed almost sinister at times. I often wondered if Ruby really hated Chloe. I was reminded of the movie The Good Son many times.

I did like Chloe for most of the book. I understood her decision to return home after two years away. I also was happy to see that she no longer sees Ruby the same way she use to. She's grown up quite a bit, and really begins to question Ruby and her hold on people. She especially begins to question the events that led to the death of London.

I was most disappointed in the ending. With such an intricate chain of events, I was expecting more answers. Instead, I'm left wondering if there will be a sequel. And do I want to read it?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great book!

When I first got this book, I was super excited to read it. I knew that this book would be completely different from any other book out there, and I was right!


Imaginary Girls is one totally creeped out book. As I began this book and read more in
to it, I got goosebumps. The storyline is something unique that it took me by surprise. I loved how the storyline built up to something the reader never expected it to be. As the Chole discovers what Ruby did, my heart was racing! I really liked how Chole figured everything out. She was sneaky about it and even scared of her own sister at times. Heck, I was scared of Ruby!


The story line of this book is what made this book. I really like how Ruby made such a sacrifice to save her own sister but of course at a deadly cost. As I continued to dive deeper into this book and realized what Ruby did, I think all the hair stood up on the back of my neck. But it also made me wonder why Ruby did what she did in the first place. The story line flowed well, pace well, and built up to an amazing ending. The ending of the book was shocking but I knew something had to be done in order for it to balance out.


Imaginary Girls is a great book! As the reader, the elements in the book, spookiness, mysteries, secrets, really come out in the wonderful writing that Ms. Suma presented. It none other than grab the reader, drowning them in the reservoir of Ms. Suma's world that she created!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Shocking!!!

Imaginary Girls is unlike any other book I've ever read. I was asking questions as I read this book. It was amazing. An elegant nightmare.

This book was kinda scary. Not in a horror way, but in a confusi

This book was kinda scary. Not in a horror way, but in a confusing way. Ruby is instantly in control of everything, and there are way too many secrets. I don't really understand how Ruby had the power to do those things (hint hint, life) and I don't know whether this is a realistic fiction book where in the end everything has a reasonable explanation or a fantasy book.

Imaginary Girls is like nothing I've ever read before and I mean

Imaginary Girls is like nothing I've ever read before and I mean that quite literally. Its a beautifully written yet deeply unsettling novel about the bonds of sisterhood. How does one even begin to review a novel, which in my opinion, is so skillfully written that its in an entire league of its own as far as the storytelling goes? Also its really hard to talk to much about the novel without giving something away but I will try and do my best to review it.

Chloe is a smart, capable and daring young woman but is much like any younger sister in the way that she idolizes Ruby. She wants nothing more then to always be loved, protected and accepted by her older sister. Ruby has a dominating personality, bordering on cruel and vain but never directs it at Chloe, as both are the rock the other depends on after having had a rough childhood. Their bond is so strong many things can be said between them without saying anything at all. They shadow each other, share clothes, stories and secrets until a wedge is shoved between them.

Their are a handful of supporting characters that help deepen the plot, the most important being London and while most of them warrant at least some kind of sympathy, I still wasn't a huge fan of any of them. Normally not liking characters is a huge deal breaker for me. I mean if you can't like the characters, how can you possibly like the book? Well, I was proven wrong because I absolutely couldn't put the book down. Part of that I'm sure, has to do with its marathon like pace which grabs you from the start and doesn't let you go.

The setting and backstory of the New York reservoir gives the novel a strange feeling of timelessness which makes everything feel creepy and dark. Even when its seen during the day, the reservoir seems to cast its shadows over everything.

Nova Ren Suma did more then just write a story, she engulfed me in her world and made me part of it. While not being all that it seems and certainly not for everyone, Imaginary Girls is a chilling novel that stands in a class of its own.

A very bizarre tale...

This book was so different from what I expected. It was...bizarre. I still don't even quite know what to think about it. Let me start with the characters...

First, there's Ruby, the older sister. She is about 21 in the story, and has pretty much raised Chloe, as their mother was a drunk. At first she is made to appear to be this beautiful, charismatic, free spirit whom EVERYONE adores. Everybody in town knows Ruby, and will do anything for her. However, as the book goes on, I really began to dislike her. She was very narcissistic, and truly used everbody she could to benefit herself. By the end of the book, we kind of see the "powers" Ruby has (I don't quite know how to describe this.) However, I was still confused at the end of the book as to exactly what Ruby was and how she got that way. I don't feel like this was every really explained.

Then there's Chloe. She's more or less the main character, as most is told from her viewpoint. I never really felt a connection with her. She was just kind of blah. She is definitely under Ruby's spell, so I feel like she never had a chance to develop her own personality.

For most of the book, I had no idea what was going to happen - for about 200 pages, it seems like Suma is only giving us an idea of who Ruby and Chloe were. When the action finally started to pick up, I felt confused most of the time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing...it kept me wanting to know what the heck was going on! The last 50 or so pages, I was glued to it. Just as I thought I knew what was going to happen, a new twist appeared.

Overall, it was a pretty good story. Slow at first, but it definitely picks up. However, I feel unsettled about the ending. There were unresolved questions, and that bothers me. If you like ghost story/mysteries, you will probably like this book.

Beautiful Language

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma is worth reading if only to experience the author's way with words. Chloe¿s older sister Ruby is the girl everyone knows of, knows about. Ruby is the girl everyone wants to please, wants to be like, wants to be liked by. Boys will drive hours in the middle of the night to buy her the simplest thing; shop girls will give her things practically for free from any store.

She¿s also the one who looks out for Chloe, who takes care of her. But one night, while with Ruby and her friends at the reservoir things go horribly wrong for Chloe when she discovers a dead body.

Chloe¿s sent to live elsewhere, away from Ruby.

Ruby who will do anything to get Chloe back. Who does do anything to get Chloe back.

When Chloe does return years later, it¿s with the lines of life and death redrawn . . . and possibly the one between the sisters redrawn as well.


Imaginary Girls is a haunting story that will stay with you for long after you¿ve read the last page. Nova Ren Suma¿s writing really is something special. She has the ability to string together seemingly ordinary words and make something extraordinary; phrases that won¿t leave your head for days - even after you¿ve reread them time and time again. (¿...She was a shrill and shrieking fire alarm in a quiet library, and not a single person seemed to hear it.¿ pg 167 [arc])

Nova Ren Suma has a great ability to capture family dynamics - sure those in Imaginary Girls were twisted and screwed up, but you got the feeling that they were screwed up properly. It just came across that the author really understands how to weave relationships.

I loved Ruby - not an actual I-liked-her love but I loved the character that was created and how more of her was gradually shown.

Imaginary Girls is not contemporary fiction, but there aren¿t vampires or demons or other supernatural beings - the best I could think to compare it to would be Nancy Werlin¿s Impossible (not for plot or story but for ¿supernatural¿ness).

Nova Ren Suma¿s first book, the MG Dani Noir was really enjoyable as well and I really hope for more YA fiction from her. I know I¿m absolutely thrilled now not to live near a reservoir!

9/10



(received through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's)

It's Pretty good

I just finished reading this, it was pretty good. Does anyone know if there is going to be a second one???

Middle recommend.

This book was very confusing, no center point. Imaginary Girls is a decent book, but I wouldn't exactly recommend it. This book has no point, you don't get the whole book until the end, which annoyed me. Everything was unclear and hazy, very confusing. Good read for the strong-minded people. Overall, not my favorite book, but not my least favorite book.

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