The Weird Girl by Carla Damron is a fast-moving and emotionally charged novel that plunges into the dark heart of opioid addiction, teen vulnerability, and the long shadows of power and privilege. Set in a small South Carolina town, the book follows a multi-threaded narrative centered around Tessa, a trauma-scarred foster teen; Lily Grace, a sheltered, socially awkward girl; and Georgia, a social worker struggling to hold her foster family together. When a tragic hit-and-run at a high school party injures popular girl Sara Clark, the town is forced to reckon with secrets, lies, and the consequences of denial. As police investigations unfold, truths about drugs, justice, and who gets protected come to light.

The thing I liked about Damron’s writing was how authentic and raw it felt. The dialogue is crisp, often painfully real, and never overpolished. Characters felt alive, flawed, messy, complicated. Tessa’s inner world, filled with a mix of bitterness, longing, and resilience, was beautifully rendered. Georgia, the foster mom and social worker, was probably my favorite. She’s stubborn and human and funny in all the right ways. The scenes from the hospital, in particular, hit hard. As someone who’s seen how addiction can gut a community, I appreciated that this book didn’t sugarcoat anything. The emotional weight is heavy, but never cheap. There were moments when I had to stop and breathe.

Parts of the book made me furious, not about the book, though. The way the legal system is manipulated by those with money, how teenagers are left to flounder while adults spin their reputations like a game, got under my skin. And it should. The book pulls no punches about privilege and corruption, and I found myself wanting to shake some of the characters. Damron doesn’t wrap everything up in a neat little bow, and I loved that. Real life isn’t tidy.

I’d recommend The Weird Girl to readers who appreciate character-driven fiction with heart, guts, and grit. It’s perfect for anyone interested in social issues, especially those who work in schools, healthcare, or with youth. It’s not a light read, but it’s a powerful one. And while the book tackles big themes, it’s the quiet moments, two girls walking after school, a mom worrying late at night, that you’ll remember after finishing this book.

Pages: 359 | ASIN: B0FKZHNY7T